Little monster
by Cooper101
Summary: A man trying to kill Arthur is nothing new. Arthur going on a hunt is nothing new either, but who is this six year old boy he has brought back, and why does he look so much like Merlin? coincident?
1. Becomming little

**Hey all! I'm back and bad, with more trouble. You've read the summery and now it's time to read.**

**Enjoy and please review\comment on this.**

* * *

Merlin hated Arthur some times.

No. Really he did. Making him carry enough hunting gear for thirteen people and make him carry it for ten hours! He had managed to stay alive for the last five hours, but he seriously dying. He needed water and there was none. Typical of Arthur to say to pack all the hunting stuff, but no food or water. Arthur had some, but wasn't sharing. Merlin stumbled to keep up with Arthur and the knights. He fell face first behind Arthur, scaring a dear, but luckily, for Arthur it didn't runaway. Arthur would have ripped his heart out if it did. Arthur had woken up in a bad mood, because Morgana had won a bet and Arthur was forced to dance with the Lady Diana. He was very annoyed about that since she was ugly, couldn't dance and had very bad breath. He had blamed Merlin of course, which Merlin found very unfair and started having a go at Arthur, who didn't like that, so they ended up in a giant fight.

Merlin got up and followed Arthur closer towards the dear. Arthur singled him to stay where he is. He obviously didn't want him scaring it. Merlin huffed and stayed still whilst Arthur and the knights went forward.

Arthur suddenly stepped on a twig and the dear slowly moved into a wooded area some more. Arthur crawled forward trying not to make it go any more in. He crawled more forward and aimed. He aimed perfectly and its stomach. The poor baby dear will never know what hit him and Merlin felt upset for that. One day you're here the next you're not and no one in your family will know.

Arthur aimed and pulled the trigger...

* * *

He had been setting up this trap for the Pendragon for ages. Let's see what the all mighty Uther Pendragon will do when he finds out what's happened to his beloved son. Just need the dear to come this way some more and the Pendragon will come too. With him under this spell he'll be far too easy to kill.

Far too easy.

* * *

Merlin couldn't take it. He stepped on a twig, which made a sound that echoed around the forest. The dear looked up and moved just as Arthur pulled the trigger. The dear lepta over the flying arrow and ran into the closed up wooded area. Arthur cursed under his breath and got to his feet. He glared at Merlin.

"What the hell was that?" He bellowed at him. Yep, Arthur would rip his heart out.

"I did nothing _sire._" Merlin mocked. He had blamed him for him losing his bet and shouted at him for it. He then threw him in the stocks for half the night in the freezing winter cold. He's also made him carry everything and not shared his water, and now he's shouting at him when he's told everyone to be quite. Oh, what more does he want.

"Go and flush the dear out you idiot!"

"Fine!" Merlin shouted at him, barging past him to crawl into the area the dear had run off to.

Merlin got on his knees and crawled through the trees and branches. He clambered over a tree root and under another. As he went, he cursed under his breath every single name he could call Arthur. He soon came to a clearing. He couldn't see the dear. It was gone.

Merlin didn't step forward. Something told him not to. He frowned, as he turned round. He could hear Arthur. He's just telling him to hurry up and get the dear flushed out. Merlin huffed and stepped forwards, but stopped.

Little did he know that right in front of his feet was an invisible wire, waiting to be snapped.

* * *

"Merlin!" Arthur called. "You can come out now, we've got the dear." Arthur said smiling. He was please with himself. He looked back at where Merlin had gone off. It was odd, Merlin should have come back by now. Very unlike him to go into a sulk and run off. He always comes back. It's not really the first time they've had an argument like this. He walked up to the beginning of the way Merlin crawled.

"Merlin?" He shouted, getting a bit worried.

Suddenly, a blood-curling scream echoed through the forest. A gust of wind blew from where Merlin had crawled. It was too strong and sent Arthur flying backwards. Leaves blew high as the wind died down.

Arthur raced to his feet. Merlin was the first thing that crossed his mind. He went round the long way to get to him. Hopefully he wouldn't be too late.

* * *

_A few moments before the scream..._

Merlin looked around. The dear was nowhere and Arthur was getting madder. Great, he thought. Just what I need.

He took a step forwards.

Suddenly, a force when charging through his body. Merlin let out a scream as he fell to the floor in pain. The pain surged through his body as his magic let lose. Merlin eyes flashed gold and a gust of wind blew the way he had just come.

Merlin closed his eyes as he passed out in pain...

* * *

_Back to the present..._

Arthur and the knights jumped over a rock as they ran round to Merlin. The jumped off a giant rock and landed on soft mud, but Arthur didn't stop. For one: He cared for Merlin, and two: Morgana would have his head if he let anything happen to him. Many cared for Merlin. Gaius was always telling Merlin to be careful and the really reason he keeps getting hurt is because of him. Arthur tried not to think about the condition Merlin might be in. He just kept running and running.

Arthur turned the corner and jumped off another rock. He didn't see Merlin anywhere though.

Suddenly, he heard a grown. Everyone drew their swords and pointed it at a bundle of clothes. They moved. It was a person. The person started to wake up and get up. It slowly stood up, it's back to them. The person looked around unsure of where he was.

"By the name of the king show yourself." Arthur said, putting on his best prince voice.

The person turned round. The person was a boy. A young boy. A child! The child had very big ears, he looked very much like an elf. He also had mop like hair that covered his forehead and a bit of his ears, and there was a long bit that covered part of his eye that he blew off. He had very pale skin and big beautiful light blue eyes.

Arthur kneeled down on one knee a meter away from the child and softly said.

"Merlin?" The child flapped his long sleeves and looked at them both, then at him.

"Yah?" He said, his voice high pinched. Arthur's eyes widen. His manservant was a child. This was just what he needed.

A bloody child version of Merlin.

* * *

Curses that damn child, thought the mystery man. He wasn't happy that his plane was failed by a mere child. He'll kill Arthur Pendragon if it's the last thing he does.

"Just you wait Pendragon. You'll be dead at my hand."

* * *

**Yay another cliffhanger! I love them.**

**Well? Come on people, tell me what you think in a review please. Reviews help me write and the more I get the quicker I write. The less I get the less chance there is of me updating quicker.**

**Please review/comment.**


	2. I'm six

**Hi all. I am back with another chapter. How was the last one? Good I hope.**

**Here's chapter two.**

**Enjoy.**

**P.S I've put this as friendship. What else would it be other than friendship?**

* * *

Arthur stared at Merlin, still too shocked to believe his eyes. He was a child. His manservant was a child.

"M- Merlin, how did this happen?" Arthur asked, just getting the words out of his mouth. Merlin looked at his long sleeves again.

"Thon't no Arfa'h. Me no know." He said trying to put letters together to make a word, but failing to. Arthur got up to his knees and scratched his head. He had no idea how to handle a kid.

"Arfa'h me cold." Merlin moaned jumping on the spot. The then tripped over his long top and fell backwards on the floor with a thump.

"Ow!" He cried out. He got to his feet and looked like he was about to cry.

"What? No Merlin, don't cry, please don't cry. Please." Arthur begged getting to his knees and grabbing Merlin the knees. Merlin just started to cry more, so Arthur panicked more. Arthur turned round to Sir Leon desperately.

"Sir Leon! Didn't you have to look after your baby sister when you were twelve?" Sir Leon had his eyes wide.

"Why yes Sir."

"Well, help! I know nothing on kids!" Arthur said desperately. He did a little movement with his hands, saying to him to calm Merlin down. Leon jumped right into action and got to Merlin's high brought him into a hug. He hushed little Merlin as he rocked him back and forth on the spot. Merlin surprisingly liked the hug that Sir Leon was giving him and had a firm grip on his shirt. Sir Leon let go of Merlin and got Merlin to let go of him. He patted him down the stood up. He nodded at Arthur and went back to join the group of knight that were just watching.

Arthur drew a breath in and kneeled down in front of Merlin.

"Merlin. Now, I may know that you are five –"

"Six." He cut in his high-pitched voice. Merlin was frowning at him as he said it. Merlin took his age very seriously and hated when people got it wrong.

"Right," Arthur said nodding his head. "Now, I may know that you are six," Merlin nodded happily that he said it right the second time. Arthur carried on speaking. "But this does not mean that you are not an adult. You have respect still, remember. You're just under a spell. You're still an adults, you have respect. Ok?" Merlin nodded. "Good," Arthur smiled and picked him up.

"AAAAAAAHHHHH AAAAARRRRRTTTTHHHHHUUUURRRRR!" Merlin screamed. "Me no like being man handled!" He screamed and kicked in Arthur's arms. Arthur was holding in a way where right side of Merlin's hip was on Arthur's left and Merlin's upper half of his body was facing forward. Merlin kicked the back of Arthur's arm, but Arthur paid no attention.

"Well done Merlin," he said. "You said my name right."

Arthur looked at his knights who were looking at the pare of them oddly.

"Well, onwards to Camelot." He said walking past them in the direction of Camelot.

"But sire we are ages away from Camelot. We shall not arrive back until sunset." Leon spoke up and said.

"That's alright, come on Merlin walkies."

"Put. Me. Down!" He screamed.

"No chance you're far too slowly." Arthur said bringing Merlin up into a piggyback. Merlin calmed down when Arthur put him in a piggyback. He actually fell asleep straight away. Arthur sighed in relief. He wouldn't have to put up with Merlin continuously asking if they are there yet.

* * *

Arthur was wrong. Merlin is a lot faster than they are.

Merlin had woken up around ten minutes ago and he was bursting with energy. He had slept for two hours and three minutes and now he was running at top speed through the woods down a hill. Arthur and the knight tried to keep up, but couldn't. The knights had to carry the hunting gear too so Merlin had double the advantage. Arthur jumped over another fallen over tree. Merlin was whizzing down the hill jumping over things, rolling under and then getting to his feet straight away afterwards. He was like a super kid or something. He's six for crying out loud and he's running around like mad. No way was Arthur like this when he was six. He knew that for sure.

Arthur looked back for a moment to see that some of the knights had fallen over and others rolling head first down the hill, hunting gear everywhere. Arthur looked forward a little too late as he ran right into a branch at a shocking speed. He went flying only to land on his back in pain. The knights would have stopped to help, but they couldn't. They were going too fast. In addition, Sir Leon would have stopped, but he was going too fast too.

"Sire, move!" He shouted a little too late. He tripped right over Arthur, did a forward flip in the air, landed on his back and then rolled down the hill. Arthur forgot about his head that had a cut on it and jumped to his feet and ran down the hill after Merlin, Sir Leon and the knights.

Arthur ran down the hill, trying to control his speed, but failing. The other knights were able to get down the hill in one piece. So was he, but everyone felt tired. Arthur stopped at the bottom, just in time before he tripped over Sir Leon.

Arthur leaned forward and put his hands on his knees, gasping for air like everyone else, but Merlin, who was trying to climb a tree. Arthur got up and walked over to him. Merlin was just out of his reach. Arthur sighed. He was far too tired to tell Merlin to come down and so was everyone else. Arthur sat down at the bottom of the tree and started to get hit breath back. He'll just leave Merlin up in the tree for the next ten minutes or so and then they'll set off again. Yah, that sounds like a great plan. Just sit there and relax...

Just then, Merlin jumped down from the top of the tree and landed next to Arthur. He then stood up and ran off.

Arthur hit the back of his head agents the tree and got up to run after him, the knights sadly having to follow.

Merlin kept running through the woods, luckily in the direction of Camelot.

* * *

Arthur staggered through the gates of Camelot with the knights not too close behind him. Merlin was jumping around and jumping into a spin in the air, despite how long his top was. He then frowned and looked back at Arthur and the knights. He stood there arms crossed across his small chest, waiting for them to catch up.

Arthur walked up to him and picked him up. He signalled to the knights to go get some rest. The knights happily agreed to that order.

Arthur carried Merlin towards the castle. He told a passing servant that he wanted to see his father with Gaius.

How he was going to tell them that his servant was a child was going to be easy.

Getting them to take the new well, would be another.

* * *

Arthur walked into the hall with Merlin in his arms. Merlin looked around at the hall. It seemed bigger now that he was smaller. The hall was the same in every way. Camelot's dragon hanging on the walls. The throne that Uther sits on and the one's next to him for Arthur and Morgana. Merlin turned to look ahead.

Oh man, he thought. Uther, please no!

Merlin started to wriggle in Arthur's arms, wanting to run out of there and never come back. However, Arthur had a too tight of grip on him and he wasn't loosening up.

Uther spotted his son and stood up. By his face, he was not happy that he had brought child with him.

"Arthur, may I be entitled to being told why you have a child with you?" He asked, trying to sound all right. However, Merlin could sense that he wasn't happy at all to see a child. Arthur put Merlin on the floor and spoke up.

"On my hunt father we came across a sorcerers trap. Sadly, Merlin fell into it and... Well..." He looked down at Merlin who was looking up at the adults. Arthur and Uther looked up at each other at the same time, both catching each other's eyes.

"That boy of yours is your servant?" He asked, unsure that this was true or not. Just then, Merlin saw someone appear form the shadows.

"Merlin, is that you?"

"Gaius!" He said, letting go of Arthur's hand and running to him mentor. He ran at him and hand what he could of the tall old man. Gaius returned it with a small hug and ruffling his hair.

"Oh you great him with a hug." Arthur said, a bit annoyed. Merlin turned to him with an angry six-year-old look on his face. It looked more cute than angry.

"To was popping a thword at me." Gaius looked up at Arthur.

"You were pointing a sword at him?" He asked, knowing that that wasn't like Arthur at all.

"I didn't know it was him." Arthur said in defence, pointing at Merlin. Uther decided to but in before, they started shouting at each other. He has heard them do it in the past.

"Look the five –" Merlin cut in before he could go anymore.

"Six." He said calmly walking up to him and standing next to Arthur. "I'm six, not five, six!" He said stamping a foot, his face still looking plan. Uther looked at the boy. How dare he interrupt him. He was the king and he was a child that he could have executed without a second thought. He dare interrupt the king.

Uther looked up at Arthur, hoping for the boy's life that he had something to say.

"Merlin is a bit worried when it comes to his age." Arthur explained carefully.

Merlin didn't like the way Arthur explained it and decided to kick him. Merlin then started to cry.

"OW!" He cried, tears welling up in his eyes. Gaius looked at Arthur.

"Shall I deal with him sire?" He asked, wondering if Arthur wanted to calm Merlin down.

"Oh, no need Gaius." He turned towards the door and shouted, "SIR LEON!" Just then, Sire Leon came running in.

"Got it." He said picking up Merlin and hushing him to stop crying. Gaius frowned and looked at Arthur mouth open.

"No one worry. Gaius you can look into a way of changing him back. Gwen and Morgana can take Merlin shopping for some clothes and we can take turns keeping an eye on Merlin." He smiled pleased with his plan.

"Everything will be under control." Arthur said, not knowing how much he was wrong.

* * *

**REVIEW/COMMENT PLEASE!**

**Tell me what you think. The more reviews I get the quicker I update.**

**Thanks all!**


	3. Lost respect

**Hi all thanks for all the reviews.**

**Here is chapter three.**

**By the way. Should I put this as humour?**

**Enjoy**

* * *

Merlin's eyes fluttered open. He rolled over in bed and moaned. At first, he had argued about going to bed early. Really early. Come on, who goes to bed at seven? What six year old goes to bed at seven? Even Emma, the kid in the upper town goes to bed at half seven. It wasn't fair at first, but now that it was morning, he was quite happy that he had gone to bed early. How did Emma do it? He felt tired, and Emma goes to bed half an hour later than he does. He feels like has a hangover... Been a while since he had one of those.

Merlin rolled out of bed and landed his bare feet on the cold stone floor. The coldness from the floor floated up through his body. He shivered from this, but it was natural and also woke him up.

Merlin slowly waddled like a duck towards the door. He forgot that the door was there and banged right into it, falling backwards onto the floor with a thud. Merlin looked at the door. He then remembered that it was there and that you had to lift the hook up to get out. He stood up and waddled over to the door again. He reached up to take the hook off, but couldn't reach. His fingers were just an inch away, and he couldn't reach. He wanted to jump, but was too tired. He then remembered that he had magic. He smiled, and went to do a spell... He couldn't remember any. Merlin frowned and tried to remember one, but couldn't. He couldn't remember any of the spells. Merlin didn't think that this was a moment to think about how he couldn't remember, but this was a moment on trying to open the door. He then remembered that he could move objects before he could even walk or talk. He put his hand up in front of him and flashed his eyes gold...

Suddenly, the sheet on his bed flew over to him and landed on top of his head. It was unexpected. Merlin took it off, threw in onto the bed and tried again. His eyes flashed gold as his windows fluttered open and closed several times then stopped. Merlin sighed and tried it again. His eyes flashed gold and this dreadful time... The door opened. Merlin smiled and then walked down into the main part of his chambers.

Merlin saw Gaius just putting his breakfast on the table. He smiled at Merlin as he climbed onto the table and started eating the ham sandwich. Gaius started to laugh as Merlin started shovelling in into his mouth. Gaius would have given him a smaller sandwich, but heard from Huith that when Merlin was younger, he had an appetite of two grown men. Gaius thought it was silly, but watching Merlin eat that Sandwich made him change his mind and go to make another one. Merlin looked up to see his mentor and asked:

"Wfhat me fooing to hay?" He asked his mouth full of sandwich, which bits came out of his mouth. Gaius came back with another sandwich, and just in time since Merlin finished the other one. Gaius was glad that Merlin didn't eat like this when he was an adult.

"I'm not sure what you're going to do Merlin, but you're going to be with Arthur while he trains the knights and then you'll be with Morgana and Gwen. I can't keep an eye in you while I look for a way to turn you back." Gaius said, sitting down on the other side of the table to eat his food. He had that white sticky stuff that his mother made all the time back at Elador. Merlin didn't feel bad that he was getting the good food. Gaius didn't like sandwiches, which was odd, but Merlin didn't question it.

"Oh, Merlin. Gwen came by and got you some clothes. They're over there. Try them on." Merlin looked to his left and saw a small package. He climbed down from the stool, waddled over to it, and picked it up. He gave it a shake and stared to un-rap it. He gasped in delight as he saw brand new trousers, top, jacket, shoes and neck-chief. Merlin didn't waste any time in taking the clothes with him to his room and changing into them.

Gaius laughed as Merlin scrambled on the stairs into his room. Merlin never really got given new clothes. It was only when he really needed clothes they'd somehow get some. Gaius heard Merlin in his room. He could only guess that Merlin liked the clothes. He was soon answered as Merlin cam running out jumping around happily shouting.

"I love em, I love em, I love em!" He said twirling in the air. Gaius laughed as Merlin put on a little show as he jumped happily.

"Well, you better go off and Arthur. Can I trust you not to get into trouble?" Merlin nodded.

"Of course you can." He said sweetly, his fingers crossed behind his back. Gaius nodded as Merlin smiled and ran off to find Arthur. He couldn't wait to see Gwen, so she could thank her for the clothes. He also wondered what Morgana was doing. He was a child now, she'd want to fuss over him like girls do.

Merlin ran down the corridor, getting odd looks from passing people. They weren't expecting to see a child running down the corridor jumping happily and doing cartwheels perfectly. Merlin was trying not to dance like he loves doing. It wasn't really loved much as people would say 'where does dancing get you in life?' Stupid old crows. Only his mother and friends like his dancing and appreciated it, and his singing. Boy, he had the best of singing voices. He was also good at storytelling, but that was a secret for only kids and his mother to know. Merlin was always told that his skills were useless by the other adults of Elador. Even though his talents saved the day. His magic saves everyone, him dancing saves parties and his singing. His storytelling makes kids happy. He was the best and no one was going to take that away from him. He was six and no one in Camelot knew of his past. Time for a new six-year-old start.

Merlin came to Arthur's chambers. He looked up the doors. They were very big and he could reach the door handle. He heard Uther's voice on the other side along with Arthurs. Merlin knocked. The sound was nothing compared to the men's voices. Merlin tried again and harder. Still nothing. This time he kicked in anger. It worked, but hurt.

"Entire." Bellowed Uther's voice. Merlin trembled at his voice and kicked the door again. He needed them to open it. He couldn't reach the handle on Arthur's giant doors... That and he was a bit scared of Uther.

"Entire," He bellowed again. Merlin kicked the door again. Then Arthur opened the door. He looked around and closed it. Merlin sighed.

"Stupid height!" He muttered under his breath. He kicked it again. Arthur opened the door, looked around, and quickly closed it. Merlin didn't even get the chance to speak before the door was closed. Merlin scowled. He kicked it again, his foot getting numb.

"Look, whoever it is, if you want to come in, come in, if not go away. I'm not answering the door." Merlin felt like screaming. Which he did.

"ARTHUR! You prat! Its Merlin. Open the dddddddddoooooooorrrrrr." He screamed, kicking and hitting the door hard. Arthur opened the door just as Merlin was on it, hitting it. Her fell forward face first onto the floor.

"Merlin! Why didn't you open the door yourself?" He said picking him up, preparing or tears. He had spoken to Sir Leon and he had taught him stuff he should know. However, Merlin didn't cry, but brushed himself down, looked at him plan and simply and said:

"I couldn't reach the handle." He said with a blank face eyes shining on his pale skin.

"Oh," He said, feeling a bit stupid. Merlin studied Arthur. He had his armour on read to train the knights. He wasn't wearing his Camelot cape thingy, but had his helmet in his hand.

"Well, Arthur, I'll be seeing you at dinner." Uther said, making a quick exit. Merlin didn't get much of a look at Uther since he was out the door quickly. Merlin ignored Uther though. He was of little importance to him. Arthur picked Merlin up, who gave a little wiggle at the fact that he hates being 'man handled'.

"Come on Merlin. Off to train the knights." He said walking out of his room carrying Merlin.

* * *

Merlin kicked the grass again for the hundredth time that hour. He was bored to his teeth and every time he found something fun to do, Arthur would say that it was too dangerous. He sounded like Gaius and his mother. Merlin kicked the grass again. He had nothing better to do. He looked over at Arthur who was doing his prat prince stuff. He saw some of the 'hard boy' knights look at him and give him a sneer. They'd never had got on. They were laughing at him. He could see that from the distance that he was at. He felt his blood boil. Yes, he was six, get over it you dorks.

Arthur finished with his knights finally. Merlin smiled as Arthur started to walk over.

Arthur didn't say anything and just carried on walking. Merlin huffed, the prat really didn't care. Merlin walked after him. Since he was six his walk to keep up with Arthur was actually a jog. He walked quickly by Arthur's side. It seemed like Arthur couldn't wait to get rid of him! Charming! Stupid prat. Then again, what do you expect?

Merlin was lost in thought and tried to run after Arthur up the stairs, but ended up tripping up and falling onto the floor. Arthur quickly turned round as he heard a human and floor collide. He quickly jumped down some steps and picked Merlin up. Tears were welling u in his eyes. Arthur didn't want that.

"Merlin, Merlin!" He stressed. "Remember, under a spell, under a spell. Respect, respect. Yah? Respect." Arthur said, making Merlin stop crying. He nodded and wiped his tears. Arthur nodded and carried on walking up the stairs. Merlin stood still, trying to hold the tears back. Arthur stopped and sighed. He turned round and held out his hand. Merlin wiped his eyes, smiled, ran at Arthur, and took his hand. Arthur happily took Merlin up the stairs and towards Morgana's room.

Merlin looked at the single door. He had delivered so many sleeping drafts to this door and yet barley ever looked at it. Arthur knocked on the door. It took a few seconds before Gwen answered it. Merlin smiled happily and flew himself at Gwen, hugging what he could. He was a lot smaller now and could only really hug her legs.

"Thank you for the clothes." He beamed at her. However, Arthur went ruin it.

"You hug her in hello, but not me!" He said, protesting. Merlin knew deep down he was upset that he was getting all the attention from Gwen. Just then, Morgana came out from behind her screen. She was dressed in a beautiful silk purple dress. He looked at Gwen who had a plan yellow dress on.

"Arthur! If Merlin does not wish to hug you then. Shut. Up." She said, making a clear point and shutting him up.

"Yah Arthur!" Merlin said pulling a face. Morgana suddenly went into 'soppy' mode.

"Aren't you cute Merlin? Yes you are, yes you." She said kneeling down to Merlin's high and saying it in a baby voice. Arthur quickly pulled Merlin backwards towards him.

"One: This is Merlin! That's just disgusting Morgana. Think about yourself doing that to Merlin when he's an adult. And second: Merlin has respect!" Morgana stood up and raise an eyebrow. She then looked down at Merlin.

"Merlin, with his super ling tongue was picking his noise. His tongue was making its way up his noise slowly, and not going anymore, because it wasn't that long. Merlin stopped what he was doing and look at Arthur.

"I've thust frost ma rehect?" Merlin asked, his tongue still up his noise.

"Yes Merlin," Arthur sighed. "You have just lost your respect." Merlin brought his tongue back down and Arthur handed Merlin's little hand over to Morgana. Arthur waved goodbye and left him to have fun with the two girls.

Let's just pray they didn't decide to play dress up with him.

* * *

**Cool ay? Next chapter may not be up for a while since I've got school which = homework (stupid homework).**

**I'll update when I can, but you know the drill.**

**The more reviews/comments I get the quicker I update.**

**See ya!**


	4. No brains, just beer

**Hi everyone. Sorry, for the long wait. Got school and my other fic for Justice League. However, if you miss me that much I do have other fics (Hee Hee).**

**I've made this chapter a bit longer to make up for the long wait.**

**Here is the next chapter, enjoy.**

* * *

Merlin's eyes fluttered open once again. He sat up in bed. He felt better than yesterday morning. He felt different too. He guessed that it had something to do with being six again. He shook it out of his mind.

He remembered yesterday and loved it. He had done nothing, but laugh at Arthur with Morgana and Gwen, play hide and seek (were told off, because he ran into the knights), and drew. He love drawing. He was really good at it. He wasn't going to tell the girls that he had a book where he drew all his ideas down. He wasn't going to tell Arthur. He would tease him about it for the rest of his life. He would just keep quiet for a while. Lie low. He was already being noticed a bit too much. When he was younger, he would be getting into trouble every second. He would love the attention, but his adult self was telling himself to not get into trouble. Merlin cursed all adults and their wish for kids not to get into trouble. He got into trouble with the local kids in Camelot even when he as an adult. He was terrible. Really he was. Always in trouble.

Merlin got up and walked over the door. After yesterday of a while trying to open the door, Gaius declared that they left the door unlocked and easy for him to open. Merlin opened the door and walked down. Gaius had just put two loads for sandwiches on the table for him. Merlin licked his lips and didn't hesitate to start eating. He started woofing it down. Gaius sighed, knowing that if he didn't find a way to change Merlin back, then his food apatite would get worse, meaning Gaius would have to feed him more, meaning a lot of money loses.

Merlin finished in no time at all.

Gaius walked over to the table with a book and placed it down. Merlin looked up and frowned.

"Wat's dat?" He asked in a sleepy voice. He was still a bit tired. Gaius opened the book and looked Merlin in the eyes. Merlin knew that this was serious adult stuff and MUST pay attention.

"This is a book Merlin –" Merlin rolled his eyes and cut in.

"I know that bit. Cut to dat chase!" He almost screamed in his childish high-pitched voice. Gaius sighed a carried on.

"It's a book about changing magic and in this book is about something called aedginge."

"De-ageing" Merlin, said quickly and calmly. His face blank not even noting that he had spoken. Gaius looked at him.

"Where did you learn that?"

"If you change the words around you get 'de-ageing'." Merlin said calmly, showing off his knowledge by accident. Gaius raised an eyebrow, breathed in deeply and carried on.

"It says that in time you will be a five –"

"SIX! Can't you adults get it right! I ain't that short!" Merlin said slamming his little fists on the table. He then held them together. Gaius guessed why.

"Ow?" he asked, knowing that it must have hurt.

Merlin nodded, "Ow." He said quietly. Gaius carried on.

"It says that you will be six forever if we didn't turn you back within a fort night of the change. We need to find the sorcerer that did this. Knowing Uther, he'll want him executed and for once, that is a good thing. Shall I tell you why?" Merlin nodded. "Depending on what spell he used, then the only way to turn you back would be by killing him." Merlin's eyes widened. He was six again; he had no idea how to act.

"But – but- b-b-b but he he set some trap like thing. Like a f-f-f fairy ring, but with thin, see-throw rope. How?" Merlin asked stammering all over the place. Being six was confusing his judgement of how he saw things. Gaius sighed knowing that Merlin was turning six again far too quickly. He always was a child even as an adult.

"He could have given part of his magic to the trap." Gaius explained softly. Merlin's eyes started to water. He didn't want anyone to die.

Merlin jumped down from the table and ran out of the chambers. Merlin didn't bother calling after him. He sighed and sat down. Merlin only finished one sandwich. He picked half of it up and took a bite.

He looked at the book. He read from it.

_In the change, the person may feel different feelings at different times. The person will feel three emotions in the second day before acting as they did when they were a child. They will feel: Upset, confused and angry. WARNING: depending on how they acted as a child they may feel all at once._

Gaius looked up and signed. Merlin was feeling all three at once. He was going to run to Arthur, Morgana or Gwen. Thank lord he warned everyone about this.

* * *

Merlin ran, tears in his eyes and still in his nightwear. He knew Arthur wouldn't care for his feelings, but Morgana and Gwen would. He ran through the castle, banging into people, as he went, not saying sorry.

He ran up the stairs and ran towards the door. He smashed right into it and started banging his fists agents the door. Gwen opened the door and didn't even get a chance to say a word before Merlin ran in. Morgana was still in bed and had just woken up. He jumped on the bed and curled up under the sheets right next to Morgana. Morgana woke up quickly in shock, not prepared to find Merlin curled up crying next to her.

"Merlin! What's the matter?" she asked, chucking her sheet away, trying to find Merlin curled up crying.

"Sorcerer have die, sorcerer have die!" He wailed under the sheets. Morgana was still trying to find him and Gwen was now helping.

"Oh Merlin, Gaius told you?" Morgana said pitifully. Merlin kneeled up quickly and looked at her, about to explode.

"YOU KNEW!" He wailed "YOU KNEW." He squeezed his fists together and started to try to hit Morgana. However, friend or foe, adult or child, Morgan was prepared to protect herself. She grabbed his wrists and tried to keep him still, but failed.

"Merlin calm down." Morgana said sternly. She was trying to be in control, but wasn't succeeding. Gwen could see that they weren't getting anywhere and even though it pained her to do so, but she knew how a child acting like Merlin was, should be treated. She didn't think she just did and she hopped that Merlin would thank her later.

She grabbed Merlin's wrists, forcing Morgana to let go, she then spun him round to face her. Merlin tried to get away and try to lash out, but Gwen's grip was too tight.

"Merlin. Calm. Down." She said sterner than Morgana did. However, Merlin didn't calm down. Gwen then lifted Merlin up by his wrists and carried him over to the wardrobe, opened it, put Merlin in it and closed it. Gwen picked up a broom and put it over the handles.

"Right, Merlin you can come out when you've calmed down. Knock when you think you're ready." Merlin knocked. Gwen sighed.

"When you've calmed down Merlin, and I can tell you not, because you knocked too fast, too strongly and I've just put you in there and it's obvious you'll knock straight away." She said, sounding a bit angry. Merlin huffed inside the wardrobe. Gwen sighed and walked over to the bed.

"That was a bit harsh Guinevere." Morgana said shocked at how her maid had handled him. Gwen sighed.

"I know, but we had to do something and this does work." She drew in a deep breath. "Would you like me to get you dressed milady?" Morgana frowned.

"But Merlin's in the wardrobe."

"Yes."

"With my clothes."

"Yes."

"You didn't think this through did you?"

"No." Morgana shook her head.

Looks like she won't be having breakfast with Uther and Arthur after all.

* * *

Arthur strode through the castle. He was meant to have had breakfast with his father and Morgana, but Morgana never showed up. It was also near lunchtime and he was meant to spend it with Merlin, but he wasn't anywhere. The fact that Gaius could have told him about the turning into a child permanently and that he would be acting funny, didn't walk into his mind.

Arthur walked through the castle on a mission. First was finding out why the hell Morgana didn't show up for breakfast.

Arthur ran up the stairs, saw the door and knocked on it. Gwen answered it, but Arthur strode straight in.

"Morgana, why did I have to suffer on my own, listening to him talk about how magic is bad." Morgana then came out from behind the screen, still in her nightgown. Arthur frowned. It was almost midday and she was still in her nightgown? Arthur was about to ask why, but Morgana bet him to it.

"Merlin through one hell of a fit and tried to hit me. It was about the 'staying a child forever' thing. The one Gaius talked about. Gwen put in the wardrobe and since she did that, I cannot get any clothes out until Merlin has calmed down." She finished, taking in a deep breath from speaking fast. Arthur didn't know what to say to this. Merlin trying to hit Morgana? Not in a million years. Something then clicked.

"Gwen, put him in the wardrobe?" He asked softly and confused. He knew Gwen pretty well, and putting a six-year-old boy in a wardrobe is one thing she'd never do. Sadly, Morgana nodded and looked over to the wardrobe.

Arthur turned and looked at what she was looking at. Gwen was sat on the floor, back to the wardrobe, leaning agents it, with her legs to her chest. Arthur walked over. He looked from Gwen to the wardrobe and back. He then knocked on the wardrobe. Gwen stood up straight away when he did this.

"Merlin?" He said. "Do you think you're ready to come out yet?" Arthur asked, looking at Gwen apologetically.

No sound came from the other side of the door for a few seconds. The silence was almost deadly, as if Merlin was dead. Then, came a small, soft sounding knock from the other side of the door. Gwen, slowly, took the broom off the wardrobe and opened the door. Merlin pushed a few dresses aside so he could see them better.

"I'm sorry for what I said and sorry for trying to hit you Morgana... I didn't mean it." He said, his face completely blank, but had 'sorry' written all over it. He looked at the ground when he said it, an obvious trick a child would use, but Merlin was not tricking them. Before they had a chance to reply to the overly cute child, Merlin shuffled forward and land with a thump on his feet on the stone floor. He held his hands together in front of him and looked at the floor then slowly met everyone's eyes, face still facing downwards.

"Can you forgive me?" He mumbled under his breath. He looked like he was about to cry.

"Yes, Merlin. We forgive you." They all chorused together, not knowing that they had. Merlin slowly brought his head up and started smiled a smiled that went from ear to ear.

Merlin then walked straight past Arthur and hugged both Gwen and Morgana. Arthur's smile vanished and got up onto his feet.

"Oh, this is just getting bloody ridicules. You hug them, but not me!" Arthur wailed. He was just getting annoyed with this.

"Shut your yapper, It wasn't you I tried to hit." Merlin turned round and said, then went back to hugging the girls. Arthur sighed. Something's never change. Merlin finished hugging the girls, turned round and started to walk out the door.

"Come on Arthur. You and I are meant to be spending the afternoon together." He then walked out and in the direction of the kitchen.

"Let's hope you found someone to look after him during the feast tonight." Morgana said, walking behind the screen.

Once again, Arthur hadn't done something he was meant to do.

However, once again, he knew someone who could do the job.

* * *

Arthur felt good with himself. He had gotten a nanny for Merlin. It was his old one. She was older now. Much older, but he was sure that she would be able to look after him. Merlin wasn't going to go tier out an old woman was he?

Arthur looked around the hall. His father was drinking and talking to Morgana about her day, Gaius was in his corner and Gwen as serving wine. Arthur leaned back in his chair and took a sip of his wine. He looked at the other knights that he was with. They were all laughing at something the Sir Gurstworth had just said.

Arthur sighed and took yet another sip of his wine. Things almost seemed boring without Merlin.

Almost.

* * *

Merlin looked at the person Arthur called his old nanny. She had a grey dress a short grey hair. She slumbered in her chair by his bed. Yet another snore escaped from her mouth. She had fallen asleep over two hours ago and Merlin had just watched her sleep. It was boring watching her, but he was meant to stay in his chambers.

However, something inside him grew hungry for mischief. He wanted to leave and do something fun. It was ages ago, that he was meant to go to bed and yet he wasn't tired. Another snore filled the room as the nanny stared to dribble. Merlin drew in a deep breath, suddenly realising that he hadn't been breathing for a while.

He scrambled to his feet and jumped off his bed. He grabbed a stool and pushed it underneath his window. He stood on it and opened the shutters. Moonlight spilled into the room. Candles may have been lit, but it still had an effect. Merlin looked out on Camelot. Everything looked twice as big. He smiled and wind swirled across his face. It was all beautiful. He looked down. Some man was getting off his horse. Merlin frowned. No one was expected. Merlin's stomach twisted for some reason. It was like he was meant to know this person... No! This man.

Some knights walked over to him, trying to stop him from getting into the castle. The man then drew out a sword and plunged it through one knight and less than a second later drew a dagger and sliced it across the other ones neck. Merlin gasped in shook, realising that this man was not here to do good. More men on horse suddenly showed up. They jumped off them and quickly grabbed the knights and dragged them away, to hopefully dispose of the bodies.

The men started walking in. Merlin heard more horse and looked over to the courtyard. They were all going to meet up in the castle and make their way towards the hall where the feast was. Together there would be around thirteen maybe, but Merlin was six again now and was never good at maths. He needed more facts.

He jumped off the stool and ran towards the door. He stopped and looked back at his nanny, who was meant to be 'baby sitting' him. Should he wake her and tell her? Nah, no point, she'll just go back to sleep. Merlin shrugged the thought of and ran out of the door to see where the men where.

Men got to the door and looked both ways. No one in sight. He ran towards the main doors to the castle. He got there and there was still no one. He closed his eyes and wiggled his ears. He listened carefully. He heard noise from the lower town and upper. He hears noise from the main hall. He heard muffle voices. Muffle voices was what he wanted. Merlin opened his eyes and smiled. He ran off in the direction he heard the voices. He climbed some stairs. Being small and having big steps in the castle was a pain in the backside. He got to the top, huffing and puffing. He now officially hated stairs. He looked left and right. He listened hard again. Right he went. He sped off fast. Being six meant that he had a lot of energy that just did nothing. He could be running around for ages and not get tired. However, stairs were a pain and could tire him out. Merlin ran down a narrow corridor. He noticed that he was near the hall were the feast was taking place. He was too young to go to a feast, which he found unfair, but he said he'd behave. Does running off after some men mean he his misbehaving? Nah, he's just curious, Arthur won't mind. Merlin turned a corner and hid right back round it a second later. It was the men. Merlin looked at them. He could count how many there was. He was six and terrible at maths. He heard them talking. The man that was the leader was talking.

"Right, remember the plan. When the young Pendragon comes round that corner to get to his chambers, I'll put the de-ageing spell on him and you lot will stuff him in the bag. We'll then leave." He said, his face hid behind his hood.

"Why does there have to be so many of us?" One of the men asked. He had no hair and a stone face. There was a cut going through his mouth and just up his noise. Merlin tried to hold back a giggle and the scar looked like a figure going up the man's noise.

"Because you idiot, if we are to get caught, then we're going to need to fight our way out of here." He said, slapping the man on the back of the head. This man reminded him of Arthur, when he slaps him on the head.

Merlin looked at the men. They were playing to just stand there waiting for Arthur to come down the hall. Just standing there in silence. These men had it bad on him. Just going to stand in silence. Merlin shook his head. It was sad. All grownups were. Looking at them again through a childes eyes. They care about their own problems. You can love a child to death, but you can never see when they need you most.

Merlin had to do something. His magic was terrible and out of control, he was six years old and not even one meter tall. What the hell could he do. He could do what he does best.

Get into trouble.

He leaned agents the wall. This was something new. He may have gotten into things he should have when he was younger, but this was over the top. The things he had gotten into he could have died, but was still here to tell the tail, but this was really something new and it had been awhile. He was an adult and knew better. He should go the long way round and tell Arthur that way. What if Arthur leaves before he gets there? He'll be taken. Merlin closed his eyes. His inner kid just let lose inside himself. He opened his eyes and drew in a deep breath. He walked out from behind the corner and walked towards the group of men.

"Alright lads," he shouted at them in his high pitched voice. He tried to sound like Arthur, but failed too. "Want someone to keep you company while ya wait for his pratness?" He asked cheekily, smiling from ear to ear.

"What the hell? Grab him!" The leader shouted, pointing at him. Two men started walking towards Merlin, drawing their swords. Merlin ran forward as so did they. Merlin dogged the first ones sword as he brought it through the air and down, trying to cut him in half. Merlin did a roll through the other ones legs and quickly kicked his butt, sending him forward into the other one, who gave way and fell to the floor. Merlin had always been more of a dare devil when he was younger.

Three more men walked forward. Only now, Merlin noticed that there were more than ten of them. Merlin got to his feet as one went to pick him up by the throat. Merlin took his chance and since he was already on his feet, he brought his foot up and kicked the man in the noise, with high chances of breaking it. He then leaned back agents the wall, brought both feet up and pushed the man into the other one. Merlin then charged at the third, dogging the sword that was trying to stab him. Merlin ran through the man's legs. One of the men that ha first charged at him had gotten up and gone to kill him from behind, but instead ended up plunging his sword through the man that Merlin had ran under. The man that had just had a sword run through him dug his in the man that did it, thinking that it was the kid.

That was two dead and three knocked-out.

Another five ran at him. As they did so, Merlin could only pray that someone would come soon, as his inner kid was starting to get scared that this was the end.

* * *

Arthur walked back towards his chambers. He was stuffed from the wood and didn't drink much at all. He couldn't get Merlin out of his mind and neither could Morgana. Arthur thought of checking on him right now, but then thought that Merlin would already be asleep, so there would be no point.

He walked back towards his chambers, but heard something. He looked back. Sir Leon. He strangely had his sword out.

"Did you hear that sire?" He asked. Arthur was about to ask if he had had too much to drink, but then heard a clash of metal smashing together. Suddenly a giant gust of wind came from round the corner and then stopped. It was like the wind in the woods. Arthur looked at Sir Leon, who was looking at him. The ran towards the corner and turned it, both with swords out.

There stood, Merlin, surrounded by men's bodies, some dead, others knocked-out. Merlin looked around and then at the two knights.

"I didn't mean to do it. They were going to kid... kid... kid..." He struggled with the word that he was looking for. Being six wasn't all fun.

"Kidnap?" Sir Leon said.

"Yah, that word. They were going to make you young again and take you. I stopped them." Merlin said with pride, crossing his arms across his chest.

Arthur looked around at the men on the floor. There had to be around fourteen men. Less than half was dead.

"You stopped them, by killing less than half of them?" Arthur asked. A voice inside his head was praying for it not to be true. Merlin looked around. His smiled fell and tear welled up in his eyes.

"It wasn't me. I didn't do it."

Arthur raised an eyebrow and both he had Sir Leon turned, slowly and at the same time, to look at each other. Disbelief written all over their faces.

* * *

Curse that damn boy! Through the hooded man as he rode away from Camelot no, his bright white horse.

He had just been defeated by a mere child. A stupid six year old! He wasn't finished with Camelot, Uther Pendragon, Arthur Pendragon and that damn child!

However, for now, he'll watch the young Pendragon. The child will turn into a child forever and won't be a problem. That was just him turning.

The Pendragon is his main idea.

Suddenly another horse came riding up towards him. It was a man. He stopped in front of him.

"Glad you made it out." He said to him. The man did not look happy.

"I am thirteen men down from my thirty that you wish to us, and all because of a damn five year old." He spat.

"Actually your fourteen men down from your forty and al because of a six year old. If I'm right, the boy hates people getting his age wrong, especially adults like us." He lowered his voice. "But then again, you can't even do your maths right, so god knows how old you brain is."

"I'm tired of these game, man!" He cried then spat. "I don't care about how old the boy is. I'm out. They were good men to me." He turned his horse around and started to trot away on it.

"I'll tell you what. I get the Pendragon boy, and you can have the boy." The man stopped his horse. He turned around on it.

"Now that. I would like very much." He said an evil grin spreading across his face. "How about we drink to that." He said, eyeing the pub in the distance.

"You know I don't drink."

"Since when the hell did I give a damn care." He laughed, patting him on the back. The hooded man shook his head.

No brains, just beer.

* * *

**I told you I made it longer. Who liked it? Please review. I want this to be my best story ever! (Meaning a lot of reviews).**

**Thanks. You know the drill. The more reviews I get the quicker I write.**

**Also, Ideas are very welcome!**

**Please review/comment.**


	5. Found respect

**Hello, hello, hello, ladies and gents. Did you miss me? I've been gone a while, but I'm ah back! You can guess what's going to happen by the name of the chapter.**

**Enjoy...**

* * *

Merlin rolled over in bed. He fluttered open his eyes. He remembered last night and was proud of it strangle. The look on Arthur's face was priceless. He was turning into a kid. He was going to become HELL for Arthur and everyone else, and only Gaius knew that. Merlin smiled. He always was a wicked kid that got into trouble on purpose. He changed through... however, it took lots of year.

Merlin rolled out of bed. He felt in the mood for some food, followed by going for a walk... On his own.

Merlin walked over to the door. It was locked. Stupid Arthur, thought Merlin. He had to close the stupid door.

Merlin stepped back and held put his hand. It was worth a shot weren't it? He whispered some words. The windows flapped open like a bird. Wrong spell. He whispered another spell. This time the wardrobe burst open and then closed. Merlin stomped his foot and let out a little angry whimper. Just because he was a kid. Anger boiled inside him because it wasn't working. He turned sharply on his heels and held out his hand. He sternly whispered some words. His eyes flashed gold in pure anger. Nothing happened. He then learned his mistake. Using spells in anger never end good. Still nothing happened. Merlin sighed in relief. He thought that his whole room would turn into a dump...

Then, it did.

His windows flew open as his sheet on the bed flung at him and covered him in protection. His wardrobe flung open and spat some of his adult clothes out. Arthur's armour cut across the room landing everywhere. So did Arthur's clothes. Merlin's draws smashed open, as papers hurtled out of them. His bed finished it all off, by turning neatly on its side, with a crash. Merlin slowly and steadily pulled the sheet off his head and looked around. The room was a tip. Merlin gulped, in dismay. He was going to be made to clean this up. Forget about him being six and all. He was fried turkey. Surprisingly, the bedroom door slowly creaked open.

Merlin huffed. The stupid thing had to open after all the damage. Terrific!

Merlin got up and waddled out of his chambers. Despite all the noise, Gaius was sound asleep. Merlin rolled his eyes. He walked over to a cupboard and opened it. There was a bit of ham from last night, some bread, and two apples. Merlin smiled. His breakfast. He grabbed the ham and bread and put the ham on one slice of bread. He then grabbed a sharp knife and was very careful to cut both of the apples into neat pieces. He then put the pieces on top of the ham and put the other bit of bread on top to make a ham and apple sandwich.

He ate it quickly. He hiccupped. Mother always told him not to eat his food fast. Merlin picked up a pen, grabbed a bit of paper, and scribbled on it:

_Goon for wack _This would translate as 'gone for walk'. Merlin smiled at the paper, thinking he spelt the words right.

He then left whilst Gaius was still asleep. Merlin walked down the hall, feeling good. He turned the corner... To find King Uther talking to Sir Leon. The would ruin everything. Merlin took a deep breath, held his head high and walked forward as if he owned the place, praying that his inner child would think of something and quick.

They didn't notice him at first, but as he was, only five steps from passing them and being away unnoticed, they noticed him.

"Merlin?" Sir Leon said surprised. "Shouldn't you be with Arthur or Gaius?" _damn_ thought Merlin. Stuff like this always had to happen to him didn't it?

"Yah, but I'm not. Obviously. No adult is watching over me. Problem? Take it out with someone that cares. Okay?" Merlin said, then walking off. He didn't need to look back to tell that Sir Leon and Uther both had their mouths wide open. Merlin smiled as he walked towards the stairs and then down them. He stopped at the opened doors to the courtyard.

It was raining.

Merlin smiled. His all time favourite weather. He ran out down the steps. He almost tripped over, but didn't. He had somewhere he wanted to go. Some people he wanted to see.

Merlin walked through the streets. Very little people were out. He was already socked and wet, but he didn't care. He was so used to the rain he wasn't going to get a cold. He was making his way to the edge of the lower town, where it meets the upper town. The odd person passed him, but they were in a hurry. Merlin walked along as if it was a sunny day with his hands in his pockets looking up at the sky. However, it wasn't sunny, but raining and the sky wasn't blue, but grey. He stopped walking when he saw who he was looking for.

Da Kids.

They were a mixture of eleven kids, but only these six were allowed out in the rain on their own. The others had to have an adult with them.

These kids were the main kids of Camelot. Merlin always told them a story on Thursday market day. He told every kid that showed up for the story the story. However, it was mainly these kids. They were his favourite.

The six that was there were Jack, Clara, Nick, Tanya, Tea and Emma.

Jack was a thirteen-year-old girl who hated her name so cut it short. Merlin was never told what it was short for and every time she asked, she changed the subject. She had short mud blond hair and a dirty face. She wore brown trousers like Merlin's and a brown white top with a brown jacket. Her blue eyes were like Merlin's, but not. She was a feisty young girl that always got her way and was always up to trouble. She was the head of 'Da Kids'. She was good with words and could always walk away from you with a smug smile on her face.

Clara and Nick were both twins and ten. Clara had long dirty blond hair and brown eyes. She had dirty brown/blue leggings and a long blue top that came to her knees. She always had a bag on her for her notebook. She was a meddler and knew everything about everyone and if she didn't she would find out. She was a bit of a spy and went she was old enough she would hopefully spy for Camelot. She knew more about someone than they knew about themselves. Apart from Merlin. That really got on her nerves. She was off limits to royals unless Merlin said that she was needed to go spying on them. Nick was her twin brother and was too thick to function so just did what her sister told him to do. He was a bit skinny with brown hair and brown eyes. He had tight brown trousers and a long scrap brown top that came down to his knees like his sisters. He was far too dumb and so someone always had to be with him.

Tanya and Tea were also twins, but they were identical and only nine. They both had bright blond hair that was held up in a high ponytail. They also had bright blue eyes and soft, smooth skin. They always spoke together and when they didn't they shared a sentence. No one knew which one was which. However, Merlin knew which one was which. He had his way.

Last there was Emma. She was Merlin's all time favourite. She was a bright girl and the age of six. People also mistook her for being five. She was a big short. She had short brown hair and big blue eyes. She was a great acrobat as she could do perfect handstands, cartwheels and back flips. How she learned to do these things was beyond Merlin. She lived with her Grandparents, since he father died before she was born and her mother passed away from childbirth. Her grandparents were asleep half the day and all of the night. That's how she could always go and play. Emma never spoke. She hasn't ever spoken in her life. No one knew if she could or not, not even Gaius would be able to figure out if she could or not if she went to see him. However, Merlin always knew what she wanted and what she was trying to say. Emma loved Merlin, because he always gave her the attention that she never gets and should get as a six-year-old child.

Merlin took a deep breath and walked towards them. They were kicking water at each other, destined to soon get bored. Jack was the first to notice him.

"Hey, who are you? Ain't seen you around before." Jack was never very good and being a 'charming, polite young lady'. She was more of the opposite of that. The other kids stopped playing and looked at him.

"Merlin." He said simply, shrugging his shoulders. Everyone but Jack frowned. She let out a small snort of a laugh.

"Odd, I know a Merlin. He's an adult –"

"And works for the Prince." Merlin finished her sentence for her. Her face turned blank. There was an odd silence. Tanya and Tea were first to derive a conclusion.

"Merlin?" They both said together. They eyed him for a moment, studying him. Clara shook her head.

"No. No way." She could not believe it. Not in a million years. She would have known about this. She knew everything. However, Emma sealed the debate of wither he was Merlin or not. She walked up to him, wrapped her arms around his neck, and hugged him like she always does. Merlin was around half a foot higher than Emma, so the 'let's hug Merlin' thing worked. Merlin wrapped his arms around her hugging her back. This is what he needed. Someone that understands him at the moment. He needs his friends. Children friends.

Everyone's eyes widened, as that was all the proof they needed to tell that it was Merlin.

"Well-"

"I'll-"

"Be-"

"Darned." Tanya and Tea said, sharing the sentence. Emma let go of Merlin and looked at him. Pity was in her eyes and the soul question of...

"How the hell did this happen?" Nick asked. It was the smartest question he had ever asked in his life.

Merlin looked at them.

"Sit down in the dry and I'll tell you."

* * *

Arthur walked at a fast pace through that castle. He had been looking for Merlin for hours now and still hadn't found him. He had asked the knights, the maids, the servants, Morgana, Gwen and Gaius. No one had seen him. Gaius had said he had gone for a walk with him. He was starting to get a bit worried, but he didn't show it.

He walked into the court hall to find the people of the court.

"Father have you seen Merlin anywhere?"

"You mean the rude boy that left both me and Sir Leon here with our mouth wide open?" Arthur was taken aback by his father's words. He was about to ask what he meant by his sentence, but Sir Leon got in there first.

"Yes Sire that's the boy. He was heading to the courtyard Arthur. I thought he was meeting you there so I asked no questions..." Arthur had already started walking out of the room, before Sir, Leon could finish. He wanted to know where Merlin was and now.

* * *

"And that's how I'm a child." Merlin finished. He had told them about Arthur and the hunting trip, the men that he took down and the spell and how to reverses it and all. They had been silence the last ten minutes, listening to what he was saying and now there was a silence between all of them.

They couldn't take in the fact that he was six. Emma could, but they couldn't. What where they going to tell the others? What?

Who cared, what Merlin then said made them forget everything about that.

"Who's up for a mud fight?" Everyone jumped to their feet and run out into the rain. Mud was almost everywhere when it rained in the lower town.

Jack scooped up a handful of mud and through it at Merlin's face. This officially started the mud fight, as Merlin didn't stand losing at a mud fight. He would beat them. He grabbed some mud and through it at her, hitting her in the face. The impacted made her slip backwards on her feet so she landed on her butt on the muddy floor. Nick was behind her and through mud and Tanya. It hit her staining her hair until the next time it was washed. Tea through some at, getting revenge for her sister. Clara then through some at Tea and Nick at the same time.

They reputedly through mud at each other laughing as they went. Their laughter filled the lower town of Camelot. Everyone knew that they were having fun with Merlin, because no child laughs like that without Merlin being close by.

The other 'Da Kids' heard his laughter and ditched whatever they were doing and ran towards the sound. They wanted some fun too. They were bored and loved having fun with Merlin.

The other five ran down the street together. One of the boys banged into a cart on the side of the road, but got back to his feet and carried on running. Little did he know that a screw came lose handles and that the man that owned the cart would be going to the upper town in it, very soon.

They turned the corner to see the other six 'Da kids' throwing mud at each other... with another boy. They got closer.

"Hey." Shouted a black haired girl with a seriously dead pale face. "Who's this guy?" She asked the question of all of them. They stopped throwing mud. Merlin looked at the other, "Da kids'.

There was Ben, Tim, Jam, Nichol and Zoe.

Ben was an eyed boy that was twelve, but small for his age and looked ten. He was a black boy and had a bit of an attitude. He was always getting into fights with the other kids. Getting hurt and spilling blood on the floor. He looked up to Merlin for advise and how to act, which way to look. He had hated Merlin at first, making his life hell. However, after that time with the old crow Miss Horened where Merlin took the blame for him and got put in the stokes for it, some newfound respect was found for Merlin in boy.

Tim was a fair-haired blond boy with blue eyes. He was also twelve, but unlike Ben was tall for his age and could easily pass off for a boy of fourteen or fifteen. He was also extremely skinny. Skinnier that Merlin. If Arthur had thought that Merlin was skinny then he hadn't met Tim. Time didn't get into trouble. He was quite smart and educated actually. However, everyone knew that his brains couldn't function for REALLY good stuff. That's why he fitted in with 'Da Kids'.

Jam was a fat with muddy red hair of the age of eleven. He had blue eyes unlike his parents who had green and brown. His real name was Jamie, but he never liked it. It was too posh for his likings. He also loved his food. Especially Jam. That's why everyone called him Jam.

Nichol had orange hair and green eyes. She had glasses and freckles and was always teased about it, until she became with the kids in 'Da kids'. She's never teased now. She was a extremely smart girl that talents of brains were wasted. She was far too smart for her age of ten. She knew everything. She was far too smart for her own brain.

Then there was sadly Zoe. She had black hair and a dead like pale face. Her father was a drunken idiot that lived off her mother's money that she makes at the market. Zoe had tried to commit suicide at least nine times in her life. Merlin found her before she tried the tenth and stopped her. After their little chat by the lake in the woods, Zoe had never tried to kill herself again since. She was a bit mental. She was a bit of a mad person. She was a hard girl that loved to put terror into people. She had bit red lips and black eyes. She was only ten, but looked twelve. If she said that, she was thirteen then people would believe her.

Zoe had asked the question of who Merlin was for everyone, and once again, Emma answered it. She walked up to him and even though they were both covered in mud, she hugged him. Most the five standing there, mouths dropped open. Merlin used this advantage and flung a handful of mud into Jam's mouth. He stepped backwards coughing and spitting. He shook his head.

"Right, your gonna get." He grabbed some mud and threw it. Knowing how bad Jam's throw is, it ended up hitting Clara.

"OOOHHH." Everyone said at once.

"You're for it now Jam." Ben said to him. Jam protected himself as he prepared for the impact. However, Clara smiled and throws it at Ben.

"Hey." He shouts, grabbing some mud.

Therefore, again, the mud fight started.

* * *

Arthur looked up and down the street. He had almost searched the whole of the upper town. Where the hell was Merlin? Why did the idiot have to run off somewhere?

Arthur looked down yet another ally way and cursed under his breath. He was panting from trying to find Merlin.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of a cart skidding to a halt. He also heard the words.

"Alright Merlin."

Arthur's eyes widened and he ran towards where the sound had come from.

* * *

Everyone was severely covered in mud now and was all-laughing. Everyone in the lower town knew that Merlin was entertaining 'Da Kids'.

They all started to calm down now after nearly half an hour of throwing mud at each other.

Little did they know that an old man was getting onto the cart round the corner, getting ready to get up to the upper town. Little did he know that a screw in the handles to his horses was loos.

The man set off whipping the horses. Everything started off fine. Until the turned the corner. The screws came undone and feel to the floor. The horses panicked at the sound of thunder and set off racing towards Merlin and the others. Just it was half way down the street the horse detached from the cart. The horses ran off to the side, eave the cart wheeling at a great speed towards the kids. The old man, who Merlin knew as Mr Burns was screaming and shouting for them to get out of the way. They did and the cart went whizzing past. As it did, Merlin considered using magic to stop it, but then remembered that he had no way of covering himself. That and his magic was a bit bad at the moment.

He then saw the rope with a hook on the end. He ran at it and grabbed it. He quickly tied the rope end to the a steady bit of wood in the ground and raced off after the cart. He was soon behind the cart. Merlin started swinging the hook round and then let it go. It caught the cart and the it quickly pulled it to a halt.

'Da Kids' were already running after him.

"Alright Merlin." Jack said, coming up behind him and giving him a pat on the back. Emma quickly gave him a hug. He way of saying 'Thank you, you're okay'.

They all looked around. People were coming out of their homes to see what had happened. Mr Burns was still holding the handles to the horse. He was shaking all over. No one could blame him. He was fifty-seven after all.

Just then, Arthur came running down the street. He looked around.

"What the hell happened Merlin?" He said, not sounding very pleased. Looked down and his muddy body and self, looked up at Arthur and simply smiled.

"Ya know what Arthur? I think I just found me respect again." He said, the child him, almost taken over.

* * *

**Well, what you think? I spent the whole of Sunday trying to get this finished to post up.**

**Right, you know the drill. Reviews help me so review ECT, ECT.**

**By the way, anyone got any good ideas for this fic? I think I may have gotten writers block or something. Be warned that I might not use them, but just to help me.**

**See ya all soon.**


	6. The warning in the dream

**Hey all. Hope you've been enjoying this fic.**

**A massive thank you to all those who have reviewed/commented, and put this fic on alert and favourite.**

**I know this chapter is shorter than the others are, but it needs to be done!**

**Enjoy this chapter and please review/comment.**

* * *

_He walked along a road in a town. Mist swirled in the air. The town seemed empty. However, Merlin smelt something. It smelt like... pumpkin. The town was red and black, and slightly green. It was dark and gloomy as a full moon lit the place with its cobweb-like glow. He heard something behind him. He turned round, but nothing was there. He kept walking, unsure where he was. The houses seemed empty. There were shops and stalls, food on show, but all rotten with moss growing all over them, as maggots munched at them. Merlin turned his face in disgust as his stomach turned upside down and back again. Merlin walked slowly, treading carefully on the uneven stones that made the floor of the town. Merlin took another step, thinking that the floor could just part into two and let him fall forevermore. He saw that there was no light anywhere, but what the moon let off. It was almost as if it was showing him the way, or tricking him into sealing his doom. He knew that you should never trust a wolf. A wolf was a creature of the moon, just like a werewolf, and the moon led them through their lives. The moon was no friend, but yet no foe. The story Little Red Riding Hood told you that. Merlin's mother always told him that story. Merlin followed on down the road. He had no idea if there was someone in the town. He did not intend to knock on a door. Fear curled up inside him, wanting to burst out in a scream and flow through him. However, life's no fun without a good scare... but this wasn't one of those moments. It was like Halloween, but far worse. It was as if it lived there. Merlin spun round again. He knew that he was being followed, but whoever OR whatever it was was as crafty as a wolf under a full moon. Speaking of which, the moon was full, when back in Camelot it had another four weeks until it was full. The thing behind Merlin made a sound. It was like heavy, metal claws on the end of blood-loving creature's paws, hitting the floor as it walked, following him, and waiting to jump for the kill. Merlin's skin crawled as he thought if the creature knew that he knew that it was there. If so, then this was just a game before it killed him. On the other hand, try to kill him. Merlin pulled the courage up to draw in a deep breath of the cold air that surrounded him, closing in._

_Merlin soon came to a fountain in the middle of a clearing. It must be the centre of the town that he was in. Something cold in the air moved around him. Fear was turning over inside him. He walked closer to the circle fountain. He came to the edge of it. The water looked thick and gloomy in the moonlight. Merlin stared into it. An image of a cave started to form in the water. The cave was big, and looked like a library. Merlin as too busy staring at the image to notice that something stirred beneath the water. Swirling and moving as no person does. The image disappeared. Merlin looked at where it had been. He slowly turned round to walk away. He stopped as he saw something in his way. He stared wide-eyed at the creature that had followed him._

_It was hard to see in the bad light from the gloomy moon. It was big, giant even. It was bigger than he almost twice his height was and it was all fours with its back hunched over. For what Merlin could not see much of it, but enough to know that it was beast that killed. Its long claws reflected the moonlight. It stepped forward and Merlin stepped backwards. He pressed his back agents the fountain wall, wishing it wasn't there so he could go back even more. The creature stepped backwards, as if it wanted him to come away from the fountain. Merlin started hyperventilating in fear. The creature didn't step out of the dark as if it didn't wish to be seen. Merlin could sense that the creature was beginning him to step away from the fountain. Merlin had no idea why, but wasn't going. He almost felt safe near it._

_Merlin was too busy staring at the creature to notice his shadow growing longer, with claws and dripping water. That wasn't his shadow, it was a shadow that had swallowed his. The monster behind him had large and scaly like a fish. It looked just like a swamp monster, gills and all. Before Merlin could notice it or the other creature to do something, it grabbed Merlin round his little neck and pulled him backwards into the murky water. Merlin's last gasp of air before he was pulled into the water was a gasp of shock and fear. He was pulled under the freezing water quicker than he could swim and that was fast. Merlin moved and wriggled, trying to get out of the water monsters grasp. He couldn't breathe and the fact that the water was cold didn't help. The water monster was trying to drown him as well as strangle him as its arms were tightly wrapped around his neck. The cold water squeezed his lungs empty of any air he had. Suddenly, the creature let go, and Merlin heard a screech that could have burst his eardrums. The creature let go of Merlin and swam downwards. The fountain was surprisingly deep, like a lake._

_Merlin couldn't breathe and didn't know which way was up. He looked to his left, right, and saw nothing. He looked down and only saw the shadow of the water monster going down. That must mean... Merlin looked up and saw the circle of a full moon. He swam up. He was so close to breaking through the surface, but he couldn't move anymore. He was frozen stiff and run out of breath. He slowly started to drift downwards, his eyes slowly closing. He closed his yes, but was still awake, but slowly falling into the darkness of no return. Suddenly, he felt something like a hand wrap around his waist and pull him up towards the surface. Suddenly, he was colder than he was in the in the water. A rush of air hit his face as he was lifted out of the water and flung onto the ground. He landed on soft grass. He opened his eyes and looked around. He could see mountains. It was night and they were twisted into a curl at the end. The grass was soft and made out of... fingers. Merlin would have screamed and run, but barely had enough energy to breathe. His vision was slightly blurry and it was hard to see. He looked up towards the sky. The moon was brighter than it was before. Then, a figure of the creature he saw before stood over him. It was as if it was nothing more than a shadow._

_The odd thing was, it spoke to him._

"_I've saved you once, I'll save you twice, take a chance and roll the dice. When you look, you shall not see, but believe me when I say you shall see. They are coming and will not wait, for you are in their way. They'll kill without hesitate. Beware all that are new. We'll meet again, but not soon. Trust the moon and the friends you walk too. You will be saved, saved by me, more than once and more than twice. I am no friend, but no foe...And you. You are just a paretic boy that tries to save everyone, but cannot." The creature spat his last sentence. "You're just an idiotic boy..." It said._

_Merlin closed his eyes and drifted off..._

Merlin sat up gasping for air. He shook he head. He had had worse nightmares. However, this was different. He had never had a dream like that. Never. It wasn't a normal dream. Then again, he's Merlin. What the hell is normal to him? He doesn't know anything about the word 'normal' or even 'ordinary'. He is no way ordinary, and that dream proved it. Merlin sighed. It was just a dream. He put his hand to his head. He frowned, as it was cold. He looked at it.

It was wet.

He looked at himself and his bed. They were both drenched in water. Merlin swung his head around like a headless chicken. Why where they wet? He was wet in his dream. How could he be wet when he's awake? It was just a dream.

Just then, Gaius came in.

"Merlin, you were over sleeping, but you need to –" Gaius stopped talking when he saw that Merlin and his bed were wet. Merlin looked at his mentor with an innocent look on his face.

"Well, your mother said you wet the bed when you were younger, but this is ridicules."

* * *

**Did you like it? Hope you did. There is more to this story than just friendship and humour. Aren't I the best!(?).**

**Please review/ comment. I will help me SO much to know what you guys THINK of this chapter. I'd really love to know. I take great pride in this chapter. More than the others.**

**Review/comment please!**


	7. Hit, time to go

**Hello everyone, sorry for the long wait. I had writers block, but now it's gone.**

**Here is the next chapter and a giant thank you to all that has reviewed!**

**Enjoy...**

* * *

Merlin plunged his spoon into the bowl and brought it up to his mouth. Sir Leon sat down on the other side of the table with a sandwich and beer and started to eat with him. Everyone else was out at the feast that Uther was throwing. Sir Leon was forced by Arthur to babysit Merlin. Merlin refused, knowing how good Sir Leon was. Leon was even able to keep Merlin in the chambers. No one kept him in one place for long and he could. Merlin slowly started wanting to not be around Leon. Merlin had wanted to go to the feast, but he was too young. He wasn't. He was an adult... an adult in a child's body, but what's the difference, he always acted like a kid when he was older.

He took another spoonful of his soup and put it into his mouth. Sir Leon had almost finished his food, where Merlin wasn't, as he was watching Sir Leon. Merlin never took his eyes off him as they ate. He ate his food, but watched Leon.

Sir Leon knew how to babysit, and he knew what Merlin was like, so he was not holding back. He kept his eyes on Merlin so he knew what he was up to. Even when his eyes weren't on Merlin, he knew what he was doing.

Merlin wanted to go to the feast. Something told him that he would need to be there. Merlin needed to get rid of Sir Leon though. Merlin looked up the selves and saw Gaius sleeping drafts. A wicked smile grew across his face. He was just too good. He looked at Leon. Any moment now, he would ask if there was any sugared water to put in his beer. Any moment now...

"Is there-"

"Any sugared water? Yes. Is up there. The top one." He said looking at the bottle on the top. The strongest sleeping draft of all. Leon frowned.

"But those are-." Merlin turned to him.

"The sleeping drafts. No. Gaius moved the sleeping drafts to over there." He said pointing across the room. Leon got up and walked over. He picked up the bottle, walked back and pored it into his beer. He sat down and picked up his mug. He swirled it and drank it. Merlin smiled evilly. It would not take long at all until he starts to go to sleep.

Merlin did nothing but smiled. His feeling was right, and he was going to the feast. Merlin smiled.

* * *

Arthur felt like walking out of there. He did wish to spend another moment there. He was bored stiff. He didn't wish to be there one bit. The food wasn't even half as nice Arthur thought.

Arthur was quickly wishing that Merlin were here. He would always brighten the meal. However, Merlin wasn't here though. Arthur slummed forward and drank some of his wine. He couldn't get anymore bored. He had no idea how long he could last.

The world around his seemed to be so slow. People were laughing and drinking, some even dancing. His father was drinking whilst talking to one of his knights. Arthur knew the man, but could not be bothered at the time to remember the person's name. He wanted to be somewhere else. Nothing was more boring than a boring feast. How everyone else could be enjoying himself or herself was beyond Arthur.

How did Merlin survive all this boring stuff? Why has it taken this long for him to actually notice that feasts were this boring? Might be because he wasn't drinking or talking to anyone. This was because he had to see Merlin after. He didn't wish to be drunk when he goes and see's him.

Arthur still couldn't get through his head. Merlin was five, no, he meant six. Six. Merlin was six. He still could not believe it. He also could not believe how Merlin hugged everyone, but him... and Uther.

Arthur sipped his wine.

Suddenly, a gust of wind flew into the room. Arthur threw his wine behind him in shock, as he was not expecting the wind. It blew out candles, very few remained alight. Food flung off the table and tables moved only inches. Everyone hid behind pillars in the room, other people and tables. Arthur remembered the wind. It was the same from the forest and the hall where he found Merlin after taking down those men. The wind slowly stopped. Arthur used the table to pull himself up to see what had happened.

When Arthur looked up, he saw three me dressed in long black robes that were ripped. They looked a bit like a grim reaper, but without the staff. However, they did just pull out swords.

"We were summoned upon the earth to kill. To kill King Uther Pendragon. Anyone wishes to stand in the way, shall join him in deaths hands." They started walking towards Arthur's father. Arthur jumped to his feet and drew his sword, blocking an attack from one of the Black men. Other knights drew their swords and went to strike down the men in black. However, they swung round and sliced one knight in the gut. He burst inflames and his skeleton fell to the floor. Arthur looked at the figure that was slowly looking up at him. He then flung his sword at Arthur. People were screaming as more knights came running into the room.

Arthur blocked another attack, wonder if they would make it out of this alive.

* * *

Merlin stared at Sir Leon. He was slummed his chair, by Merlin's bed, snoring happily as he slept. How his wife could stand, the noise was something Merlin could not get. The other noise that was very faint in the room was screams from the feast in the hall a few stairs up. Merlin's face was blank as he did not know whether to smile or not. Yes, his feeling was right, but no, screams are not good things.

Merlin slid off the bed and walked towards the door. Merlin stopped at the door and stared at Sir Leon, the one who was meant to be babysitting him and keeping him out of trouble. He thought that he should let him know what was going on, but decided not to. He opened the open door and ran towards the hall.

* * *

Arthur blocked yet another attack. A few knights were dead on the floor. The three men that had killed them were still trying to get at him father and one had almost made it. Arthur had noticed that he should protect his gut as that is where the hit and kill.

The public had fled from the room ages ago, and Arthur did not blame him. This was one of those moments that Arthur wishes that Sir Leon and Merlin were there. Sir Leon would offer support and fight well by his side. Whilst Merlin would do something stupid and somehow take one down giving them the answer to how to kill them. Oh, if only one of them was here now.

"Arthur?" The stopped fighting and all turned round, even the men in black. There, stood Merlin at the end of the hall, in his nightclothes.

"Merlin. Go back to bed." Arthur said calmly as the men in back went back to trying to kill them. Arthur blocked a blow.

"Can't sleep. What you ah doing?" He said, putting the end of his long sleeve in his mouth.

"I'm in a fight, please come back later Merlin." Arthur said stressed. He really wanted Merlin to leave.

"Can I help please?" Merlin said jumping on his tiptoes.

"No." Arthur said, blocking.

"Yes." Merlin replied. Arthur knew where this would go and he wasn't having it.

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes"

"No."

"No!"

"Yes!"

"Tank You Arthur!" Merlin said as he won the 'yes, no' fight. Arthur cursed under his breath as he blocked another hit.

Merlin came running forward. He jumped on the table and ran across it. He slipped on a plate and went flying on the plate down the long able. At the end of the table, Merlin went flying off and landed on the back of one of the men in black. He just so happened to have to land on the one that was just about to cut Uther in two. The man in black dropped his sword and started throwing himself around to get rid of Merlin from his back. However, Merlin held on tightly. He would not let go and by the looks of it, he was suffocating the man. The man then ran backwards and slammed Merlin agents the wall. Merlin let go in an instance and sucked in a gasp when his body was squashed agents the cold, hard wall.

The man walked forward and fell to the floor gasping for air. Merlin fell to the floor. His vision was dizzy and he was having hard time breathing. Merlin looked up. Arthur had seen what had happened, but was too busy to come over and help, as he was fighting one of the other men. Merlin looked over to the sword that was on the ground. The sword the man in black had been using. An idea flashed through Merlin's small head. Merlin slowly and painfully got up and walked over to the sword. He picked it up. It was surprisingly light. Merlin walked over to the man in back. He lifted the sword and brought in down in the man's back. A gust of wind sent Merlin backwards. Merlin went flying backwards and knocked over another man in black. The one that Arthur was about it hit.

Merlin tumbled on the floor and the sword hit the floor next to him with a clunk. Merlin looked up. The man n=in black, had gone up in white flames. He was not there. Not even a skeleton.

Arthur saw this and quickly dropped his sword and picked up the other one. He plunged it into the one on the floor. That on went up in smock too.

Arthur smiled. AS he had said. Merlin would always do something stupid and find a way to kill them.

Suddenly, Arthur heard a scream on pain. He looked to his left. His father had been hit. Rage ran through Arthur. Arthur scrambled for the sword and got to his feet. The man jumped out of the way and slammed this sword into the floor. Wind suddenly, started to swirl around the man as in a flash of light, he was gone. Arthur cursed under his breath and ran to his father's side.

"Gaius!" He bellowed. Gaius came running into the room. The sword had gone into his shoulder.

"We need to take him to my chambers. Quickly" Gaius, Arthur and some knights, quickly carried King Uther Pendragon's body out of the hall and towards Gaius's chambers, leaving Merlin on his own.

Merlin stood up and looked around the room. It was beaten a tatty. Merlin sighed and walked out. Gaius will want to shove him into bed and to be honest. He would like to go to be too.

* * *

He watched in a pool of water. He smiled. Uther was down and that meant that the Pendragon boy was going to be down, which meant that the little boy would be down. Everybody on, but the people of Camelot.

"Is looking at an empty room a good thing or a bad thing? When do I get to cut the boy in two?" The man's (sadly) new friend asked.

"Soon enough. However, me great and evil plan is heading into place quickly. We will both soon get what we wish." Both men smiled at each other and started to laugh. They grabbed their drinks and raised them.

"The the end of Pendragon." One said.

"To kill the five year old."

"Six."

"Whatever." The knocked their drinks back. However, the one in the long black cape with hood had said many times that he didn't drink. So, why his (not really) friend was knocking his back. He knocked his back over his shoulder.

Soon they will have done everything they wished to do.

Kill they king and his son and (sadly) kill the boy.

* * *

**Well, parties gettin' started people. What do you think?**

**Please review, it helps me think and write.**

**See ya all.**


	8. Because I'm Merlin

**Hi guys. Hope you are all enjoying this story.**

**A massive thank you to all that have reviewed, put on favourite and on alert.**

**Here is the next chapter, enjoy.**

* * *

Merlin sat up agents the wall, watching Arthur walk up and down outside his father's bedroom door. Arthur was worried about his father and Merlin could see that very easily. Gaius had been in Uther's room for nearly three hours and Merlin's butt was hurting from sitting on the floor for so long. He had almost fallen asleep. Gaius didn't even know that he was here. Gaius was meant to take Uther back to his chambers, but Arthur did not want him to go there. Merlin wanted to go back to his chambers, go to sleep, say sorry to Sir Leon in the morning. However, he saw the look on Arthur's face and decided to wait with him. Arthur had not been walking up and down the whole time. Only for the past hour or something like that. Merlin stared at Arthur. It was odd how someone so brave and with so much power, can just fall to their knees in seconds, because of something like this. Merlin could never understand grown-ups, not even when he was on himself. He was more like a kid when he was an adult anyway.

Arthur sighed in anger, because he could do nothing and sat down next to Merlin. Merlin looked up at him. Arthur stared straight at the door. Merlin looked at it too. He suddenly got the feeling that death could open the door at any moment and walk out and down the hall with mist right behind him, because he had taken Uther's life. Merlin gulped at the idea. Arthur had his head in hands. Merlin could tell that he was fighting tears back. Merlin reached out his arm and placed his hand on Arthur's shoulder. Arthur looked up at Merlin very slowly. Merlin never thought Arthur's eyes would finally meet his. When Arthur did look at Merlin, their eyes locked and Merlin smiled at him, letting him know that he may be small, but he'd be there for him. Arthur returned that smile.

Suddenly, the door opened and Gaius stepped out. Arthur jumped to his feet quicker than Merlin had ever seen him move before. Merlin tried to crawl to his feet and stand up, but his butt hurt too much and he was tired. Gaius looked down at Merlin with a look that said, 'why aren't you in bed?'. However, before he could say anything, Arthur spoke.

"Gaius! How's my father? Is he alright? Will he live?" Arthur asked his questions so quick, Gaius only just got them. Gaius sighed.

"Arthur. I'm afraid to tell you that your father's wound is alright, but the sword had a special type of poison on it, which has gotten into your fathers blood and is slowly killing him. I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but I have no way to save him." Merlin expected Arthur to flip out or something and do something he'd regret. However, he did not. His face was blank as he slowly walked past Gaius, into his father's room, over to his father and sat down next to him. Merlin walked over to the door and stood by it as he looked at Arthur.

Merlin could read Arthur's feelings like a book. Pain, anger, sorrow and regret. Merlin could also feel Arthur's feelings a mile off. Arthur was almost dying inside, and so was Merlin. He hated his friends feeling like this. He hated, hated it, hated it! He never liked seeing anyone unhappy. He never had and never will.

Gaius saw the look on Merlin's face. He sighed and walked over to him. He was behind him, but Merlin showed no signs of knowing that he was there. Gaius looked up to see Arthur sitting there by his father's side. At first, Gaius did not know what to say to Merlin. Everyone was upset and in pain. Gaius slowly put a hand on Merlin's small shoulder. He looked up at his mentor with a blank face. Gaius could not read any emotion and this scared him slightly, as Merlin always had emotion in his face. Merlin sighed and walked away. Gaius watched him go, as he knew that he was going to bed. Gaius did not call him back, or say anything as he went. He just watched him go.

* * *

Merlin opened his eyes. The sun was shining bright and Merlin could not understand why. There was no happy times now so why were the sun out. It should be all cloudy, doom, and gloom. No one wanted the sun. Merlin sat up in bed and saw that Sir Leon was not there. He must have woken up and left. Merlin shrugged it off as he had bigger fish to fry. He got up and walked over to the door.

It was closed.

Merlin huffed. What next? He thought. He had problems left, right and centre. First, Sir Leon was not going to be happy with him, because he tricked him. Second, some person is trying to destroy Camelot, Arthur and Uther. Third, he's six! Forth, he still lost his respect, because of the morning he woke up all wet. Last, but not least, fifth, Uther's dying. He had five problems to deal with and not long to solve them.

Merlin grabbed some books and piled them on top of each other. He jumped onto them carefully. He opened the door and jumped down. Merlin kicked the books to the side. Merlin waddled down for breakfast. Gaius had already left it out of him. Merlin looked at the note Gaius had left.

_Merlin._

_Need to tend to Uther, eat your food and I will see you later._

_Gaius._

Merlin sighed and threw the note to one side so he could eat his food. Merlin ate his sandwich slowly, which was something he did not do normally. He rolled the meat around in his mouth as he thought. He thought about Uther and Arthur, what Arthur must be feeling. How was he going to get out of this one? How could he save everybody? The word from his dream suddenly rang through his head.

_You are just a paretic boy that tries to save everyone, but cannot..._

Merlin barely remembered that dream. Merlin sighed as he got up and walked towards the door, he opened it as walked down the hall, deep in thought. He walked for a while before he realised that he was walking towards Uther's chambers. Merlin didn't care as that was where he wished to go. He knew that Arthur would be there and Gaius. Merlin climbed with his hands and feet up some stairs. Being six wasn't all it's cracked up to be, specially with his height! Merlin turned a corner and walked down the hall. He stopped outside two, large wooden doors. He looked up at them as if they were Deaths doors. He gulped. He had always been scared of these doors, even as an adult. He breathed in deep and knocked on the door.

Merlin waited a few moments. Then the door opened suddenly and Arthur looked around. Merlin whistled to let Arthur know to look down. Arthur nodded and opened the door for Merlin to walk in. Merlin frowned as he expected Arthur to say something. However, Merlin quickly saw why he was more upset than yesterday.

There lay in the bed, Uther Pendragon, looking as if he was on Deaths door. If his chest wasn't rising softly then you would have thought he was dead. His face was so pale it made Merlin's look like one wicked tan. His eyes were closed and so was him mouth. Merlin almost gasped at the sight of him. He could almost see Death working his magic over Uther, drawing him closer and closer towards the afterlife. Merlin blinked rapidly as he pushed the thought out of his head. Gaius looked up and saw Merlin. He nodded at Arthur and walked over.

"Merlin, you got my note?" Merlin didn't answer his question. He asked his own one.

"What's going to happen to Uther?" He said looking up at Gaius with an innocent look on his face. Gaius sighed, knowing that Merlin would keep on asking if you did not tell him. Anyway, he had a right to know... Sort of.

"The poison is in his blood and is ripping his blood cells, and will soon attack his brain. If it attacks his brain then he will die." Merlin didn't look up at Gaius when he finished or when he spoke. He kept looking at Arthur.

"Is there anything you can do?" He asked, clutching the door with one small hand.

"No," Gaius said shaking his head. "I do not have a remedy." He sighed. He looked at Merlin hard. He knew he shouldn't say anything a pray, but if anyone could, then it would be him.

"However, there is said to be a creature that lives down south that knows of a way to heal the poison that Uther has in his body. However, this creature has never been found. It's just whispers and lies that no one ever believes." He said. Merlin looked up at Gaius. His dream suddenly flashed in front of him.

"How do you know that it's just whispers and lies?" Merlin asked quietly. Gaius only just heard it; he was also taken aback by the question.

"Well, no one's ever seen the creature and there are no sightings so of course it isn't real." Gaius looked at Arthur. "I'll leave you two be." He said, then leaving.

The door closed shut and the sound of it closing was the only sound in the room for a moment as everything went silent. Neither man made a sound. Merlin did not know what to say. Arthur carried on looking at his father. Merlin could easily tell that his hart was breaking in two. It didn't take a blind person to see that Arthur wasn't going to look for the creature. Gaius had said that it isn't real and that's all you need to know so you can just give up. Merlin hated those two words when they are put together. 'Give up'. Why would anyone give up? Merlin wasn't going to give up. Not now and not ever, and he wasn't going to give up on Arthur. Not a friend. Merlin breathed in and stepped forward. He looked serious and brave when he looked at Arthur. He then spoke.

"I'm going to save your father Arthur. I promise. You may have... 'Given up', but I for one haven't. You're father may be a bit worse than you... Okay, a lot worse, but I'm still going to save him. I promise Arthur. Your father will live." Merlin finished he speech. He knew deep down that it could have gone better. Merlin stood there in silence for a moment then turned to leave. He made it to the door, but was stopped by Arthur speaking.

"What makes you able to promise such imposable things? You're six. What makes you think you can do this alone?" Arthur asked, finally turning and looking at Merlin. Merlin sighed. He didn't know what to say to that. However, his kid side did, and it just came out.

"Because I'm Merlin, and it doesn't matter how old I am, what my height is or my weight or anything. Because I know, anything is possible when I put my mind to it. I can promise whatever I like, because I am Merlin." Merlin said, quickly walking out of the room after he finished speaking.

Merlin didn't walk away with a smile on his face, or with a frown of sorrow, but he ran. He didn't know what he was doing, he just ran. He ran through the castle. He hopped down the stairs and out into the courtyard. He ran through the town, jumping over boxes and running under moving carts. He ran straight for the lower town. He ran and ran and ran. He didn't stop. He ran for a few moments and stopped huffing and puffing on the edge of the upper town. He saw who he had come to.

Da Kids.

Merlin smiled. They were playing around as ever, chatting and laughing at everyday life. Merlin (almost) knew what he had to do. He smiled and went to step forward. Then suddenly a part of his dream flashed in his head.

_Trust the moon and the friends you walk too._

He was walking to his friends for help, and he did trust them, didn't he? What did the moon bit mean?

Merlin shrugged it off, and walked towards Da kids.

* * *

Both men stopped laughing, as the one in the hood looked in his water. The boy was up to something. He didn't like the look of what he was doing. He stood up quickly.

"My dear friend. I think it's time you had some fun." He looked at the water and so did the other man. The other man jumped to his feet and drew his sword.

"That's the boy!" He wailed. The man in the hood shook his head. His friend was indeed drunk. He coughed to get his friends attention.

"When you're not drunk! I'd like you to hunt the boy and bring him to me. He is useful to use if he is alive... for now. Hunt him, don't kill him. I promise you that he is yours, once we have used him." The other man grunted and sat down. The man in the hood smiled.

Things were working out perfectly to plan, dare say better.

* * *

**Well? What you all think. Let me know! Next couple of chapter are going to be long ones, just to say.**

**Review/comment please!**


	9. Leaving

**Hello everyone, how ya doing? Good I hope. Sorry it took a while to update. I had writers block for this chapter.**

**Here's the next chapter, enjoy.**

* * *

Merlin tiptoed down the stairs through the castle. He made sure no one could see or hear him. He had talked with Da Kids and they were more than happy to help. They were his friends after all. Merlin was not going to go to Morgana or Gwen, because they'd talk him out of it and Arthur had given up. Gaius. Well, one: he was old and two: he would talk him out of it. Merlin pulled the bag over his shoulder even more as it was quite heavy. He walked down the corridor as if he owned it. He wasn't scared that he would get caught. He wasn't scared because he knew he wouldn't get caught. Servants were all too busy now that Uther was dying.

Merlin walked down the stairs and out the door. He walked down some more steps and walked out onto the silent cough yard. It was dark and Merlin had a hard time seeing where he was going. He saw knights warming their hands by a fire in the distance. Sir Leon being one of them. A moan quietly escaped his lips, as he was the last person he wished to see. He was extremely good with kids and if anyone was going to bust him then it would be Sir Leon. So much for not going to get caught.

Merlin cursed in his head. He drew a breath in and walked forward. He stayed in the shadows as he went. He walked normally and calmly. Merlin held his breath. If he let it go then there was a high chance he would get caught and in deep trouble. Merlin quickened up. His little feet were going as fast as he could go. Considering that he walked a bit like a duck, the speed his feet were going was fast. He was close to being out of ear distance. Just another few steps. Very close...

He's made it. He let go of his breath and drew new air in. Merlin looked back and ran off. He ran down an ally and turned left. He ran almost silently through the darkness of the night. Because of his height and black hair, Merlin blended into the night easily. He ran quickly throughout Camelot and towards the gates. He had just entered the lower town and surprisingly wasn't tired. Being a kid meant you had lots of energy. Merlin ran past many houses as he went and was coming close to Gwen's. She had left for home ages ago. He knew this because he had worked everything out. Where people were, what times – everything. He slowed down when he came to Gwen's house, because he knew that she was a light sleeper. Any sudden noises would wake her up. He walked slowly then sprinted off again. He was already late to meet the others, he didn't wish to be anymore late. He ran forward, the gate in sight. He was almost there. He couldn't see the others though.

However, he did see the guards. He dived to his left into a bundle of hay. Luckily, he wasn't seen. Merlin looked up at the guards. He forgot all about them. He blew his hair off his face. He needed to get through the gate without being seen. He smiled as an idea came into his head.

Magic.

Okay. It may be a bit out of control, but that might just be the answer. Merlin would normally have said no to this idea, but he was a kid now. He disobeyed the rules. He held out his hand. He did not remember any spells, but he could do magic. His eyes flashed gold and the trouble started.

Fire exploded on top of the gate, shocking a guard close by, coursing him to fall backwards off the wall. The fire jumped on the other guards clothes. Merlin laughed as they jumped around trying to up it out. Merlin took his chance and ran forward. He ran through the gate and turned, running along the wall so he could not be seen. He ran for several minutes until he saw his friends.

Jack, Clara, Nick, Tanya, Tea, Emma, Ben, Tim, Jam, Nichol and Zoe.

They looked up at him and smiled. Emma ran forward and hugged him. She always did this when she saw him. Merlin returned the hug happily. Even in the darkest of times, he could find happiness. Jack walked forward.

"Like the cloths. You ready to go?" She asked looking at the clothes Merlin was wearing.

Merlin was wearing a white top that looked as if he had used it to clean Arthur's armour. He had brown trousers. He has his normal shoes on. Well, the ones he'd been wearing for the last couple of days. He put his bag on the floor and pulled out a cape. It was a dark brown and blue. He had bought it. He had a few spare coins tucked away in his secret place. He put it on and pulled the cape up over his head. He nodded to say that he was ready to go. They all picked up their bags and walked into the woods. This would be the first time that any of Da Kids would have left Camelot.

Merlin just hoped that it goes well.

* * *

They had walked for most of the night and had cleared a lot of ground. They were miles away from Camelot and only within two hours. They had walked straight and in silence the whole time. They had stopped only a few minutes ago and already had a fire up and running. Everyone had brought enough food to feed everyone, so having something to eat and drink was not a problem. Everyone was talking to each other. About how their parents would flip at them, if they would end up getting eaten ECT, ECT. Merlin however, was in a world of his own. Emma lay next to him fast asleep. Being one of the youngest was always the hardest. Merlin was the same age as Emma and was feeling extremely tired.

Merlin was think about his dream. The creature that had saved him and spoken to him, could it be the creature they were looking for? Could he be helping him save Uther? There were so many questions running around Merlin's cloudy and sleepy head. Merlin could barely keep his eyes open.

He suddenly felt a hand ruffle his hair. He looked up to see the pale face of Zoe.

"Get some sleep Raven Boy." She said sternly. She always called him Raven Boy, because of the colour of his hair.

He smiled and before he knew it, he had fallen asleep next to Emma.

* * *

They climbed down from off a log and jumped onto the ground below. Sunlight blinded them as it escaped through the trees. Merlin helped Emma down off the log as the others looked around. They had been walking for ages and were getting sick of it. He could tell by their faces.

"Alright, let's take a few minutes to get our legs working again." Everyone sighed in relief and fell to the floor, some agents trees and others not. Emma sat down next to Merlin as he sat down next to Jack. She drew out a water bottle from her bag and handed it around.

"Merlin-"

"Can-"

"We-"

"Ask-"

"You-"

"Something?" Tanya and Tea asked together suddenly. Merlin snapped out of his thoughts and looked at the identical twins. They had come this far and he had answered all their questions before they left. What could they have left to ask? They asked every possible question and more.

"Yah, what is it?" He asked, hoping this would be quick. The twins looked at each other then to Ben. Ben knew what they wanted to ask and did it for them.

"Why do you want to save Uther?" Merlin's mouth was open at this question. Everyone looked at him, all wanting to know the answer. However, Merlin didn't know how to explain it. Therefore, he opened his mouth to let the words flow.

However, what came out wasn't what he wanted to say.

"I'm a powerful Warlock with get magic. I do nothing but protect Prince Arthur from harm and evil magic. I am saving Uther because Arthur is not ready to be king." Merlin said. He stayed calm even though he was screaming inside for what he just said. However, everyone burst out laughing. Merlin looked blankly at them.

"Nice one Merlin. That was better than a Jam sandwich... Almost." Jam said clutching his stomach.

"Yah, Merlin, what's the real reason?" Clara asked, calming down. Merlin sighed and looked for an answer.

"Arthur's sort of my friend. I want to help him, but he's given up. Uther. Well, he's not... that... bad. He cares for Camelot as much as he cares for his son and wards. Now, we all know how much that is." Everyone shook their head din agreement. "I want to help. I mean. I've save his sorry backside more than enough times, and he barely ever repays me. However, that's not it. I just... It's just the way I am." Merlin finished speaking. There was an odd silence between the twelve children of all ages.

"That's understandable." Said Nichol. Merlin smiled as they all smiled at him.

Suddenly an arrow shot straight into the tree right next to Merlin's head. He gasped in shock and jumped to his feet, along with everyone else. They looked up to see men with swords and arrows running towards them. Looking ready to kill.

"RUN!" Screamed Tim as he started running. Everyone else was very close behind.

They ran through the bushes and round tress to get away. They all tried to stay together, but it was hard with all the trees. They came to a hill. A steep hill. They stopped and looked down it and back at the men. They took no chances and jumped right down. They rolled on the dirt, roots coming out of the ground scratching them and rocks cutting into them. They made it to the bottom looking like a bunch of scruffs. Cuts and bruise all over them. The girl's hair in tangles and the boy's knees all cut at. They looked up. The men came running down the hill without stopping. The kids wasted no time and ran off in different directions. Jack, Jam, Tim and Emma in one direction, Nick and Clara in another. Ben and Nichol ran to the left and Zoe, Tanya and Tea ran off all together. Merlin ran away on his own. However, the kids stopped and hid in a tree whilst Merlin carried on running. The men ran right after Merlin. The kids watched in horror as their friend got helplessly chased.

Merlin ran faster and faster, always picking up speed. He looked behind him to see the men still chasing him. He wasn't planning on stopping and fighting them. He dogged tree after tree, losing speed because of it. Suddenly, an arrow hit Merlin right in the arm. He screamed in pain. His child–like voice echoing loudly. He fell to the floor and rolled. He fell down into a ditch . He scrambled to his feet and stood up agents the ground. The men ran right over him. Their cries faded into the distance. Merlin sighed in relief. He looked at his arm. Tears welled up in his eyes. He painfully pulled out the arrow. He had to bite his lip to stop himself from screaming from the pain. He pulled the arrow out and threw it away. He sat down and cried. He cried like the child that he was. He had lost his friends, he was injured badly and without help, he would die. The creature in his dream was right. He was an idiotic boy that tries to save everyone but can't.

Just then, Merlin heard a noise. It sounded like wind moving through a hole. He looked up. The ditch that he was in was long. Merlin looked along it. He wiped his eyes and got to his feet. He forgot about the pain in his arm and his friends, and walked forward. He followed along it and turned the corner. He walked a bit more and saw that he had to climb up a small hill. He wiped his nose in his sleeve and started to climb. The pain in his arm was unbearable to a six-year-old child, but Merlin somehow ignored it. He got to the top. He could still hear the noise. He followed it with his ears. He had big ears, Merlin did. He could hear extremely well with his ears. Better than most people think he can.

He walked forward until he saw an cave. The cave went downwards into the ground. It was okay for walking down normally. Something told Merlin that this was where he was meant to be. He looked back to see if he could see his friends. He couldn't. He looked back at the dark cave. He drew in a brave, deep breath.

He then walked into the dark cave, unknowing what would happen.

* * *

**YES! Me and my cliffhangers are back and bad! I know what's going to happen. You don't and neither does Merlin.**

**Just to say, the next couple of chapters might be longer than the rest (I'm not sure if they will or not, but they might be).**

**Review/comment please!**


	10. The creature's game

**Hello everyone. Thanks for reading and reviewing so far.**

**Here is the next chapter.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

Merlin walked forward through the dark cave. He took step after careful step. He breathed lightly. His breath showed itself like smoke, as the air in the cave was cold and crisp. He looked around unable to see a thing. His arm was still bleeding and his sleeve socked up the blood. Merlin had forgotten about his arm and that if he didn't get it treated soon he'd be dead from blood lose. Merlin reached his hand out to feel for the wall. He touched it, but it was slimy and wet, where Merlin was expecting it to be dry and ruff. He pulled his hand away as he didn't like the touch of it. He walked forward some more. The more he walked forward the harder it got to see. Merlin was now wishing he had eaten his carrots. He walked more forward.

Suddenly, Merlin stepped forward and there was nothing there. Merlin feel forward with such speed and force, he didn't know he was falling until he was in the air. He fell down. Down and down he went and Merlin had not a clue of what was happening, as he could not see. Then lit touches were on the walls of where he was falling. He could see perfectly, even though the lights on the side where a blur because of the speed he was falling. He saw, as he fell, bones of dead warriors. Skeletons in armour, swords sticking out of the walls of rock. The walls started to come closer and closer as he fell. As they were almost touching him, they went out a bit and stayed still. Merlin hit a giant bit of rock that was sticking out, with his right shoulder. The rock cracked and fell of the wall. Because Merlin hit the rock, he somehow turned himself around so he was looking up the way he had just fallen. He saw the rock falling down faster than he was, towards him. Merlin gasped it horror as its sharp end was coming down on him. It then stopped falling in mid air just as it was about to go through Merlin's stomach. It then started going back up. Merlin's eyes were wide in fear by then. He then found himself doing a back flip as he fell. As he did so, Merlin could not stop himself from opening his mouth and letting out the biggest scream of his life. He screamed as he fell down and down.

The falling soon ended as Merlin, with a thump, landed on the ground. He moaned at the pain. He didn't care if he should be dead from the fall. He was happy he reached the ground. He rolled over to get up, only to find there were no more floors again. He rolled down a small hill, dust flying everywhere. Merlin sat up and coughed as he breathed it in. He opened his eyes and looked around.

He was in some sort of a tunnel. It wasn't that big, but not that small either. It was well lit with touches. This indicated to Merlin that someone or something was living in the tunnels. He looked left and then right. He looked back to the left. He got to his feet and started walking forward. He wasn't going to be able to climb back up, so he'd just have to find another way up and out. He walked through the tunnels. He quickly started to smell something. It was odd because he had smelled it before. He sniffed the air. It smelt like Gaius chambers when Gaius makes his poisons. It was exactly like that –

Merlin spun round as he heard and noise. Rocks were falling off a corner. Merlin stared at it hard, but shook it off. He walked forward towards the smell. He then came to an open area. He looked around in wonder, as he did not expect to see what he saw. It was giant. There were books and poisons everywhere. Candles were lit everywhere. There were things everywhere that Merlin had never seen before. Magical artefacts he guessed. He looked over it again and again in wonder, as every little boy would do.

However, what he came for, was reading a book.

The creature he had searched for.

It was almost twice his height and it was all fours with, its back hunched over. It was the creature from his dream for sure. It was the same. The same shape, the same bad breath, the same hunched back. Now he thought about it, the library was the one he saw in the fountain. He stared at the creature. All he had seen was the shape of him in his dream. However, this time, he could see the creature in the light. He could see it clearly.

He was a pale, grows colour. His jaw and chin was our further than his top lip. He had a row of razor sharp teeth that could bite into rock like it was fresh baked bread. Because his jaw and chin were out further than his top lip, his long row of teeth went over his top lip so it was unseen. His nose was flat on his face and you could only see it was there because of the three ruff lines that looked like wrinkles. He had no eyes, just holes where they should be. Not deep holes, but holes never the less. His back legs were a bit chubbier than his front ones. His front legs were like sticks, but a bit bigger. He had three claws on each foot. They were sharp and looked like they could cut a man's throat easily a dagger could.

The creature was silent as he read a book. Merlin could not understand how it could see with no eyes, but did not question it. He took a step forward. The creature hadn't noticed him yet. Merlin coughed. The creature moved his head from his book and looked at Merlin. The creature then moved his head back to his book. Merlin frowned. Was it trying to rude on purpose? Merlin coughed again.

This time the creature spoke.

"If you want something for your arm then there's something next to you there that'll clean it up in a blink." Merlin looked to his left at a blue bottle. He picked it up looking at it. He held the bottle stop in tightly and pulled. However, he couldn't pull it out. He swirled around and around trying to get it out. He finally did it. He smelt the liquid that was inside. He slowly put the bottle to his lips to drink it...

"No!" Screamed the creature at him. Merlin pulled it away before a drop went in his mouth. "You're meant to put it on the wound, not drink it." He said sternly. He then went back to his book. Merlin looked at his sleeve and for the first time saw the blood. Merlin pored the liquid onto the dry blood. The blood suddenly started to disappear, and his sleeve was dry again. He rolled his sleeve up, only to see that the wound was gone, along with the blood.

"Th – Th – Thank you Mister." The creature grunted.

"Mister! That's a new one." Merlin frowned not understanding what he meant. Merlin started walking towards the creature. As he got closer, the creature picked up his book mark and put it in the page that he was reading. The book closed on its own and Merlin guessed that it had done so by magic. The creature started walking on all fours towards a bit rock. He jumped on it and grabbed another book. It opened by its self and he took the book mark out. The creature then started grabbing bottles and herbs, and started putting them into a bowl.

"Excuse me." Merlin said walking over.

"I'm busy boy. Come back another day." Merlin stood there in silence. He watched as the creature put stuff into the bowl.

"Excuse me." Merlin said again, hoping he'd get a good reply this time.

"Look," the creature said slamming it's front claws on the rock. "Can't you see I'm busy? I don't bother myself with idiotic little children, nor do I work with them. So leave!" He shouted loudly. All was quiet when the echoes stopped. The creature stared at Merlin with no eyes, and then went back to work. Merlin did not move. He watched the creature work.

He had sneaked out of Camelot with his friends, he had walked miles, he had been chased, shot in the arm, fallen down a cave and walked through tunnels. He had done all that. He did not go through all that to be told to go away.

"I'm not leaving." Merlin said calmly, anger and control written all over his face. The creature looked up.

"And why's that?" He asked, leaning over the rock and down into Merlin's face. Any other six year old child would run screaming or burst into tears. However, Merlin was not like every other six year old child.

"Because I have come all this way to ask for a way to save King Uther Pendragon, who is dying. He has a special poison in his body, and I've been told that only you have the answer to how to save him." Merlin finished, breathing from speaking. He looked hard at where the creature's eye would be. The creature leaned back, jumped over its stuff, and started walking past Merlin. Merlin followed him. He walked through an arch into another room.

The room was lit by three candles, carefully placed so there was light all over the room. There was a rock shaped into a big square and Merlin guessed that it was a table. It had on it something like a bored. Like a chess board, but without the square.

The board was the colour of grass. It had a small mountain on it that looked like a volcano. There were four paths that lead towards the volcano. The paths were long and twisted everywhere along the bored. There were squares on the paths. Symbols on some squares. There were cards at the side and two dice.

"This is game. You and I shall play. If you win then I will help you. If you don't, you leave and never come back." He said. It was hard to see the creature's emotions because he could not move his mouth much, but Merlin could tell that he was smiling wickedly. Merlin's eyes flickered from the creature to the bored.

"How do you play?" Merlin asked, walking forward towards the bored. The table was at his chest height. The creature started to laugh.

"That it for you to guess. However, I will tell you that magic helps you win. That and knowing what the symbols mean." Merlin looked at him, his face blank. He bit his bottom lip. He didn't have of a choice, but also didn't stand much of a chance of winning. However, he'd rather walk away knowing that he tried than walking away knowing he hadn't tried.

"Will play you." Merlin said bravely.

"Very well." The creature said, walking round the table. "Card or dice?" He asked Merlin. Merlin looked at the bored. There were four pieces at the beginning of all the paths. There was a knight, a dragon, a bottle and a jester.

"Cared." Merlin said, taking his chances. The creature picked up a cared from the pile. He looked at it a placed it on the bored. On it, there was a picture of a hawk. The dragon piece moved forward three squares. There was no symbol under it.

Merlin guessed that was his go over. The creature picked up the dice and threw the across the board. One landed on a blue symbol and the other a green one. They both glowed. Then the bottle piece moved forward. It stopped five squares forward. Small ivy grew over it and the symbol on the square glowed red. Before Merlin knew anything, his dragon piece had burst into flames. His piece was still normal, but on fire. It then moved back a square. The creature laughed as the piece stayed alight.

Merlin had learnt a few things.

Blue: Move.

Green: Defence?

Red: Attack.

"Cared or dice?" The creature asked again. Merlin thought about it for a moment.

"Cared." He replied shortly afterwards. The creature picked one up and placed it on the table. It was a cared with three snacks on it. A Green and two reds. Merlin watched as his ones flames went out, and as the creatures ivy burnt. It then went back three squares then set alight going back two more. The creature's piece had gone back four squares and Merlin's went four squares forward. The creature was not impressed at how Merlin was winning.

Merlin would have counted how many squares he had to go until he got to the volcano, but he couldn't count past twelve, and there were more than twelve squares.

"Just asking because I'm in a bit of hurry, but how long does this game last?" Merlin asked looking over the bored again.

"Well, the longest I've ever played it for was three days." Merlin looked at the creature in horror. "However, at the speed you're going... Three hours, give or take." Merlin nodded.

The creature picked up the dice for another roll.

_Three hours, five minutes and eight seconds later..._

Merlin looked over the bored again.

After all the time they had been playing, he still had no idea how to play. The creature was eight squares away from winning and he was ten. It was the creatures go again and for the first time in all the time they had been playing, he picked a cared.

He smiled at the cared and placed it down. It was a unicorn. Merlin tried not to show any emotion as his piece went back a place and his four forward. He only needed four more squares. Merlin bit his lip. This wasn't good. He was going to lose his only hope of saving Uther.

"Cared or dice?" The creature asked. Merlin had no idea. This was his last chance. The creature always had a way of getting good throws or cards. He was bound to win in his next turn and Merlin had to win. His eyes flickered from dice to the stack of cards. He thought hard about.

Then, something from Merlin's dream flashed in his head.

_Take a chance and roll the dice..._

Merlin looked at the dice. Could he really win in just one roll? He breathed in. He had to try.

"Dice." He said. The creature pushed the dice towards him. Merlin picked them up.

He prayed for a miracle. Merlin rattled the dice twice in his hand and threw them onto the table. Time seemed to slowly down as the dice fell from his hand and down onto the bored. They landed with a clatter on the bored and roll across it. One stops. They symbol was a heart with a sword through it. The colour of the symbol was a colour Merlin hadn't seen in the game so far. It was gold. The second one rolled across the board and hit the edge. It bounced back and rolled back toward the other dice. Hope ran through Merlin. He needed a good throw. He had no idea what a good throw was in this game, but he hoped he got one. The dice hit the other one and started spinning. Time stopped as it span. It twirled for ages and then slowed down. It stopped spinning. It was the same. A heart with a sword through it, colour gold.

Merlin looked at the pieces. Nothing moved. They then started to go backwards, both of them.

"What's happening?" Merlin asked, watching them go backwards.

"You won." It simply said. "Double gold it an automatic win, wherever you are on the bored." Merlin looked at the game they had just been playing.

He had won.

Merlin watched and followed the creature out of the room and into his library. The creature picked up a circle ball that reflected. It was like a mirror, but round and it was just a bit bigger than Merlin's palm. Merlin held out his hand and the creature dropped it onto his hand. It was heavy and Merlin had to hold it with two hands.

"This will help you save Uther. It will tell you how to save him, but only once, you've figured it out. Now leave." Merlin nodded and started to leave the way he came. The creature was as bad as the dragon was with riddles.

Merlin walked through the arch and into the tunnels. He didn't get far until he wonder how he was going to get out. Quickly Merlin heard a rumbling noise. He turned round only to be swept off his feet by a wave of water. The tunnels were flooding and fast. It was magic, it had to be. He held tightly to the ball the creature had given him. He closed his eyes as he was swirled around. The water then suddenly disappeared as Merlin landed on the ground of the woods with a thump. He coughed and spluttered as he was soaking wet. He looked at the ball in his hand.

He had won the creature's game.

* * *

**Hoped you liked it.**

**Please review/comment.**


	11. Trust the moon

**Hello everyone.**

**Here's the next chapter.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

Merlin stumbled through the woods. He looked around unable to see much. It was dark and Merlin didn't know how it had gotten so dark so quickly. He stumbled forward, clutching the ball that the creature had given him to save Uther. He had been trying to figure it out for ages. He had nothing. No idea on how it worked. Merlin looked at it again. He sighed, as all he could see was the himself and the reflection of the moon. Merlin looked around and walked forward. He had no idea about what had happened to Da Kids and felt guilty because they were out in the dark on their own with no idea how to get back and it was his fault. On the inside, he was beating himself up for it. He hated the whole thing. He was stuck in the middle of everything and somehow he was suspected to do something.

Merlin's eyes were starting to well up with tears. He waddled over to a tree and sat down. He curled up and cried. He was unable to do it. He was unable to save Uther, to help Arthur, to work out the stupid ball. He had put his friends in danger and without protection. He was meant to do something and didn't know how. He had nothing. Merlin wiped his eyes and put his hand down beside him. However, instead of the hard ground he felt something else. He looked round the tree and to his joy, he saw his bag.

He crawled over to it and looked inside, wiping more tears away from his eyes. He looked inside. He had an apple, a pillow and his cape. He pulled his cape out and put it around himself. He felt a bit warmer. He wiped more tears away and picked up his bag. He put the ball in it and started walking.

He did not know where he was going, but he knew that he shouldn't hang about. He walked through the woods, all he could hear was owl's hoots and dead silence. Merlin hummed to himself as he walked, fear crawling up inside himself. He thought about the creature's game. How he had won. How the creature was helping him. Merlin didn't know why he was. Was it another plan of destiny? A lump formed in Merlin's throat. He disliked that word. It made him feel as if his life was mapped out for him and her had no choice in what he could do. He had no choice in life anymore. Destiny had almost completely taken it. He was losing himself to something else.

He stopped walking as he felt his bag suddenly get heavier. He opened it up and pulled out the ball. His bag was light again. He looked at the ball. There was nothing but himself and the moon it. Just them. Merlin frowned. There was no trees, no ground, nothing. Just them.

"What's that you've got there little boy?" Merlin spun round rapidly, putting the ball in his bag. He looked at who had spoken. Merlin's jaw dropped as it was not who, but what.

A wolf. It was a giant black wolf. The wolf was just a foot higher than Merlin and he was the same height as Arthur's hip. The wolf had thick black hair that covered his body foot to toe, head to long bushy tail. The wolf had a long snout and deep crystal blue eyes. It had lighter hair around the wolfs eyes and down the side of his snout. The wolf had quite big ears. Merlin stared at the wolf, expecting it to eat him.

"Do not fear little boy. I do not see you as food." It spoke again. Merlin didn't believe his own ears. He had fought creature after creature, seen things that make men tremble with fright and was scared to death of a talking wolf. Merlin knew by the wolf's voice that he was male. Merlin gulped.

"Nothing." He said, pushing his bag behind himself. The wolf raised an eyebrow.

"You seemed lost. Correct?"The wolf walked forward and past Merlin, eyes still on Merlin. "Why don't you walk with me for a while. You seem to have a few problems." Merlin looked at the wolf that he had only just met. He remembered the story of Little Red Riding Hood. His mother had told him about it when he was younger. Suddenly, his dream flashed in his mind again.

_Trust the moon..._

A wolf was known as a creature of the moon. Did the creature mean the wolf? This wolf? Merlin thought about for a second as the wolf watched him with soft eyes.

"Yah. Sure. I need someone to talk to anyway." He said, his voice unsure when he spoke. The wolf nodded and started walking. Merlin jogged after him and walked beside the wolf.

They walked in silence, Merlin not knowing where they were going. The moon seamed to brighten over them as they walked. The wolf was calm as they walked. He acted as if he had done this before. Merlin suddenly felt as if an million eyes were on him and the wolf. Mainly him. The silence was worse than the wolf tearing him limb from limb for Merlin. He had always hated silence. It stretched the truth almost. Merlin didn't know what to say, if anything. He was walking with a talking wolf. It wasn't exactly an everyday thing. Merlin looked at the wolf. He wondered what he was think. Didn't he have a little family of wolves or something. No. Merlin may have only known the wolf for a few minutes, but he could he had no family. Maybe friends, but not many Merlin guessed.

"What's your name little boy?" The wolf asked, speaking finally. Merlin turned to look at him. He was really starting to dislike being called boy.

"Merlin. What's yours?" Merlin asked his little boy voice somehow crawling with fear.

"Merlin. Well, Merlin, may name is Steallick." Merlin nodded, taking it in. "Where you heading Merlin?" Steallick asked politely.

"Camelot."

"Ah, the might city of Camelot. What's a little boy like yourself doing so far away from home? You're at least a day's walk away with those little legs you have." He said, his voice still staying serious, but friendly and trustful.

"I was on a journey." He said, playing with his hands as he spoke.

"I see. A journey to do what?" He asked, his eyes asking the questions for him. Merlin looked at the wolf's eyes. So soft and kind, but hard and deadly.

"To save the King. He's dying from some sort of poison and everyone else has given up, but there was this-"

"Creature that gave you that ball of yours and said it would help you save him." The creature said, finishing Merlin's sentence. Merlin looked at the wolf.

"How did you know that?" He asked, suddenly wishing he had not come with him.

"I read your eyes. You can learn a lot just by reading a person's eyes. That and I know the creature you played that game with. I play with him some times." He said, looking forward. Merlin studied the wolf. It was hard to tell what Steallick was truly like.

"Steallick?"

"Yes Merlin?" He said looking up and at Merlin, their eyes meeting.

"Do you think I can do it?" Steallick stopped walking, his body stretched out making him seam long.

"That is up to you Merlin, whether you can do it or not. I am not in such a place to say whether you can do it or not." He said, his face muscles loosening. His eyes gave Merlin reassurance. "However, for now, forget that. You have to get yourself and some friends of yours home safely." He said looking through the trees to a camp. Merlin saw that Da Kids were all sat round the campfire. He smiled and started to walk forward. Steallick smiled, sadly, as he turned to walk away.

"Steallick, before you go." Merlin said, making him turn his head to look at him. "You're a good friend." He said smiling. Steallick's smile dropped.

"I'm not a good friend Merlin. You are." He then jumped over a log and disappeared into the darkness of the night. Merlin smiled and started to walk towards his friends.

They weren't going to believe this.

* * *

"You're hunt was pathetic." The man in the cape said at his friend.

"Well, sorry. The stupid boy was a bit fast!" His friends replied sarcastically. The man in the cape kicked the stonewall, no pain was registered on his face. He smiled at he heard the door open.

"Is he on his way back home safely?" The man in the cape asked.

Steallick stepped out of the shadows as his he had walked through a wall. He looked at his master. He dipped his head.

"Good. My new plan is being put into place nicely." He started to laugh.

Steallick dipped his head lower in shame as he had made his only friend and now betrayed him.

* * *

**What did you think?**

**Please review/comment. I want to see if I can get a hundred reviews or more before it finishes (not sure when that is as I have no idea what to do in the next chapters. Little help please!)**

**Review? **


	12. The begining

**Hello all!**

**Here is the next chapter.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

Merlin and the others walked down the road. Merlin had never noticed how big and beautiful Camelot really was. It was a lot taller from when he last saw it like he was now. He treasured the moment of coming back home like he was now. The flags on the top of their poles flapping hard in the cool wind. He smiled as the sun slowly started to come up behind the castle. They had all made it back in one piece. Merlin thought about the last three days. It all seemed to happen so fast. Leaving, running away from bandits, meeting the creature, walking with Steallick and coming back. Steallick. The wolfs name rang in Merlin's head. He wondered about what happened to that wolf after he left. He also wondered why he had decided to walk with him. He was a little boy and he was a giant wolf... That talked. Merlin shook his head. He didn't care about any of that right now. His thoughts were all on the ball the creature had given him. He still didn't know how to use it, but Merlin knew that it would do its work when the time was right.

Merlin looked to his left then right. Da Kids were smiling happily looking up at the castle. They were all walking in a straight line towards the city. He smiled. It couldn't get any better could it? They walked through the gates and into the city. One by one, they all walked off into a house. Their homes. They would all be in so much trouble, but it was worth it in the end. Quietly and quickly all the kids were gone apart from Jack and Merlin. Merlin nodded his thanks at Jack and she then walked off. Merlin walked for a while then stopped when he got to the courtyard. He looked up at the castle. The sun was getting higher. He smiled. Another day was about to begin.

A thought then him Merlin in the face. Uther didn't have that long. Merlin's face dropped as he started to run for the King's chambers. He ran past servant after servant, each one giving him an odd look. Merlin knew that it would be all round Camelot that he had disappeared. He knew too many people and saw them all nearly every day. News about him travelled fast. Merlin climbed up the stairs like it was a mountain. He then sped off down the corridor. He stopped outside the Kings chambers. He ran backwards then charged forwards. His shoulder crashed into the door. Merlin stood frozen agent it for a moment before sliding downwards in pain. The door hadn't moved and Merlin's should felt like it was only fire. Merlin winced at the pain as he fought back his tears. Merlin got to his feet. Then suddenly the door creaked open. Merlin turned round and looked at the door. He hated it already.

Merlin walked into the room. There was the King lying still on the bed. Merlin closed the door. Arthur would be there soon to be with his father as he died. Merlin didn't have long. Merlin walked over to Uther and stood at the side. He got the ball out of his bag and held it out towards Uther. He waited in silence... He then pulled it towards himself looked at it. He tied twisting it to see if it moved, but it didn't. He threw it on the ground. It did not smash. He used his magic. It exploded, smoke everywhere. When the smoke cleared, it was perfectly shiny and the same as it was before. He picked it up and placed it on Uther. Still nothing. He grabbed it and looked at it.

Tears started to fill his eyes and pore down his face.

"Work... Please work, you have to work..." The tears poured down his face. He didn't know what else to do. Merlin looked at it as tears fell to the floor. Then, in the mirroring of the ball, something walked up behind Merlin. Merlin saw who it was.

Steallick.

Merlin spun round to look at him. However, he was not there. Merlin looked back at the ball.

"I am not in your world Merlin. Just in the ball. Trust what the creature said and be forgiving." He said. Before Merlin knew it Steallick was walking away. The wolf opened to door with his mouth and walked out the door. He had never truly been in the room, but it felt like he had been to Merlin. Merlin wiped his tears and thought about what the creature had said to him in his dream. Something flashed inside his head.

_When you look, you shall not see, but believe me when I say you shall see..._

Merlin looked at Uther then at the ball. All he could see in it was himself.

Himself.

He was the key to saving Uther. How? Merlin looked back at the ball. His eyes were gold in the reflection. He was meant to us his magic to save Uther. However, he didn't know how. His magic was all over the place.

Merlin sucked in a deep breath and held his hand out. He closed his eyes. He felt his magic stir inside himself. Wild and untamed. He focused on Uther and his untamed magic. He thought hard and concentrated on it. He pushed it down inside himself. He pushed hard. He felt it crawl under his skin and race around in his veins, his blood moving fast. He pushed and focused on Uther. He then let it all out. His magic flooded through him and came flying out at Uther. He had control of his magic and used it to heal Uther. He focused harder and harder on Uther, his magic speeding up. It grew stronger and stronger, getting faster and faster. Then, it started to slow down. It got slowly and slower very quickly. It then stopped. Merlin looked at Uther. Colour started to come back to his face, his breathing quickened as it went back to its normal pace, and he moved. He turned over as if he was sleeping. Merlin smiled. He had done it. He pulled a stool out and sat down. He was a bit tired. He leaned agents the wall. He would just close his eyes for a second...

He then heard a noise. Like claws hitting the ground. Merlin froze, but not in fear. He was here, he was in the room, he was here and he was real. Merlin's breath was caught in his throat. Click... Click... Click, went the creature's claws on the floor of Uther's chambers. Merlin looked dead at Uther. He was not scared that the creature was here, but couldn't help but wonder how and why he was. The creature walked up to the side of Merlin. He looked at Uther. There was a few seconds of silence between them before one spoke.

"I understand now," Merlin said, the creature looking at him.

"Yes?" The creature said waiting for him explain.

"I was the key to saving Uther... But why didn't you just tell me in my dream?" Merlin asked finally looking at the creature. Sunlight sprayed itself through the windows and across the room. The light brightened both their faces.

"I did not tell you for many simple reasons. There is more than just one lesson to be learnt here. You may be small, but you can do many things Merlin. Not just you, your friends too. You can make a person do anything just by using words." The creature explained. Merlin frowned and wiped a tear away.

"I'm not sure I understand. What's all this got to do with anything?" The creature gave a small chuckle.

"You do not believe in yourself because you are a child again. You think you are powerless that you are weak and pathetic. I will not lie, but you are. You're weak, pathetic, idiotic and clumsy. You're a walking disaster. You can't do anything right! You can't save everyone. You can't make it all better. Compared to a King you're nothing!" The creature's word hit Merlin's heart with such force, Merlin though his heard had broken in two. The creature's voice was harsh and serious. He meant every word he had said. Tears filled Merlin's eyes again.

"You're right. I'm nothing!" He wailed, tears being let free to roll down his face.

"But since when has that ever stopped you?" The creature said lovingly. His voice different, softy and genital. Merlin looked at the creature. You could tell there was a soft smile on his face. Merlin smiled back for nearly no reason. Merlin turned back and looked at Uther. The creature said no more as there was nothing to be said. He turned around and walked away. Merlin turned to ask him one more question, but he was gone already. Merlin smiled.

Just then, Arthur and Gaius walked through the door. Both their mouths dropped at not just the sight of Merlin, but also the fact that Uther had just woken up.

"What the hell happened?" All three adults asked in union. Merlin's smile widened as he started to giggle. All eyes were on him.

"Oh nothing much. I just went on a quest with eleven other kids, meat a creature who helped me, walked with a talking wolf, made it all back in one piece and I just saved the King. Nothing much. Just another day in Camelot ya know." Merlin said looking between all three Adult's faces.

Their mouths wide open.

* * *

Merlin smiled as everyone was having fun. Uther had got better quicker than anything. He and Gaius both told Uther what happened... Well, they left out a few bits. Uther had let Da Kids come to the feast that was celebrating him getting better and to say thank you to him and the others. He watched as the kids all sat talking with Arthur, Sir Leon and the other knights. He knew that they were talking about him, but he didn't care. As long as it was about him, why should he care what they think? Grabbed his goblet and took a sip of his drink. He wasn't allowed to have wine so he and the other kids had water. Sugared water, which Merlin loved. Merlin looked around the room. Everyone was dancing and chatting, drinking and laughing. Everything was back to normal.

Almost everything.

Merlin wasn't. Merlin wasn't back to normal. He was a six-year-old boy whose magic he could not control. He was dirt in the ground before for being Arthur's servant and he wasn't dirty in the ground. He was something different. Something was wrong with how he was treated now and it had to be changed, even if it meant going back to being dirt in the ground. A dark look fell upon Merlin's face, as he knew that the dark times were not over. They were only beginning. How he knew? Steallick. The creature could appear from nowhere and talk to him, but the wolf could not. Something wasn't right there, even Merlin knew that and he was a dumb six-year-old.

"Shouldn't you be with your friends, pestering my son?" Merlin's head snapped to the side as no one was sitting next to him a minute ago. It was Uther. Merlin wasn't sure how to respond, since the King never ever spoke to him like that, he spoke with respect in his voice. Merlin gave a small shake of his head and looked at his friends.

"Not really. Bit too much on me mind. I'm still six ya know. I've got ah find a way to turn me self back to normal... Whatever normal is anyway." He said making Uther give a little chuckle. "I mean. If I can save you, then I can turn me self back to an adult... Can't I?" He asked, a feeling that he couldn't washed over him. Uther have him an odd look. It had been a very long time since he had talked with a child. He had never talked with a child that was not his son.

"You have been a remarkable servant to my son. You have saved his life more than once. You have been right about many things, so Arthur says. You also just saved me this morning. All I can say is. I believe that you are able to get yourself back to normal." He said, his eyes meeting with another person's for the first time in a long time. Merlin did not reply as Uther grabbed his goblet and raised it. Merlin grabbed his and they knocked their goblets together. Merlin smiled as they both took a sip of their drinks.

Just then, the doors of the hall burst wide open. Men came walking in, swords high, ready to kill anyone who came near them. After nearly a million men, the two main leaders came walking in. Merlin recognised them at first glances. The ones who had tried to invade the feast a couple of days ago. The man with the scar was there. He was baled with an ugly looking face as he did a few nights ago. He had his sword held high, covered in blood.

Then there was him.

The leader. The one with the hood. He took it off with both hands. His cape went back and reviled himself. He had thick leather boots with trousers that were all ruffed up. His top with a dark rich blue, with gold necklaces around his neck. He had short brown hair and a crafty face. Worst of all, the evil, soul piercing eyes. The man with the scar spoke.

"I Morlace introduce your new King and ruler. The might sorcerer Mycroft." He bellowed across the hall.

Merlin noticed that by the door, hiding behind it so no one could see, was Steallick. Merlin was shocked to see that his friend had betrayed him. Merlin shook his head. Steallick's head dropped in shame as he shuffled backwards to get out of Merlin's gaze.

Merlin looked around, standing up on his chair, in horror.

* * *

**Review please!**


	13. Step up

**Hi everyone.**

**Here is the next chapter.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

Merlin walked though the upper town in the dark with his hood up. He bounced to the side as two guars came walking towards him.

Since Mycroft and Morlace had taken over Camelot a day ago, thinks got a lot harder for Merlin. Everyone had fled the castle. Gaius, Arthur, Uther, Morgana and Gwen had all been taken and put in prison. He and Da Kids would be there, but they got out of the castle. They were forced to move into a little cave under the castle and only come out to pick pocket food and water. They had to make sure they weren't seen encase they were caught. Merlin, however, wasn't out to get either. He was going to get into the castle and see the others. He may be small, but he could put up a fight.

He ran up the stairs and into the castle. He had never really thought about how easy it was to get round the castle unseen. He would tell Arthur, but he couldn't be bothered. That and he wouldn't be able to sneak around anymore. Merlin walked through what castle unnoticed. He kept to the shadows and said nothing. He held his breath every time he pasted a person. It was not magic that made sure he was unseen, but something else. It ran in the family. Merlin ran down the stairs and jumped the last step. He saw ten guards. Mycroft was no idiot. Merlin out stretched his hand. He chanted a spell.

Nothing happened.

He sighed. Ever since he had cured Uther, he had been unable to do magic. He didn't know what he had done. He must have used it all up or something. He sighed as he was going to have to do it the old fashion way. By hand.

Merlin walked over to them in the shadows. He grabbed one by the leg and quickly snapped it in a direction that a knee should not go. The man fell to the floor fast asleep. The others jumped to attention. They scanned the area, but there was no one there. Then, suddenly the candles went out. They were blind. One guard screamed, and then followed by a thud of a body hitting the floor. Another guard went down, and another and another, until all were asleep on the floor. Then Merlin lit the candles again. No one would ever believe what he had just done, so he would just say nothing of it. Merlin bounced down towards the ceils to speak with the other. He didn't have the keys as Morlace had them. No one else had a key, just him.

"Guys, it's me, Merlin." He hissed into the darkness. It was hard to see as the only light was from the moon that came though a small, bared window.

"No! It cannot be! How many other idiotic, was an adult but now a six-year-old servants do we know." Merlin didn't need to see to know he was mocking him. Anyway, he was just a kid. What use was he?

"Arthur!" Morgana hissed at in the darkness. Morgana must have hit the Royale Prat round the face or on the arm, as Merlin heard the sound of Morgana's hand meeting flesh. Merlin fought back a laugh as he heard Arthur cry the word 'Ow'.

Merlin quickly ran back up the stairs and came back down with a touch. It lit the room so he could see everyone's faces. Everyone's face was dirty from the dusty floor. They still had the same clothes from a night ago. Morgana still had her silk red dress on. Gwen looked normal, since she never dressed up. Arthur still had his heavy armour on. It reflected the light from the flamed touch. He didn't look to happy. There were few reasons why this could be. It might be the fact that he was rotting in the ceils, or because his future kingdom was being run by someone else... Or the fact that Morgana had just slapped him. It could be anyone or all three. Merlin then noticed Uther, not so happy. Merlin had headed rumours that he hasn't spoken to anyone since the feast. Merlin moved his eyes along to Gaius. The old man had never looked older and the light from the touch did him no favours.

"How are things out of the castle? Are people trying to fight back?" Morgana asked a sliver of hope in her eyes. Merlin looked down and shook his head. He didn't want to tell them how things were. People were hiding away. Many had tried fleeing Camelot, but were only caught and killed on sight. Anyone that was out past nightfall was killed, which was why Merlin was always careful.

"Merlin," Gaius said, "I think you need to be a bit more careful. I've heard that the guards are trying to hunt you and the others down." He had a serious face on as he spoke. He knew that he would not listen, but the old man tried anyway. However, Merlin just grew a massive grin on his face and said...

"Don't worry Gaius, I always am." Gaius shook his head. Arthur, however, snorted as if he had something to say.

"Yes, Arthur?" Merlin said, his voice going high as he tried sound manly.

"You, careful? Not in a million years!" Arthur snorted like a pig that he was. Merlin frowned.

"What's that meant to mean?" He asked. As soon as he said the words it struck him, and he regretted ever letting the words leave his mouth.

"What does it mean? What does it mean? You can't go five steps without needing to be saved! You're irresponsible, idiotic, completely dumb and unbelievably clumsy. We can't take our eyes off you before you're in trouble or causing it! You're a pathetic idiot that can't do nothing right." Arthur finished, his face red and eyes wide with anger. No one had spoken and Arthur's last sentence burst Merlin's tiny, six-year-old heart into two big, bleeding, empty pieces. Merlin stood, staring at the Prince. Everyone was silence as no one spoke. Arthur stared at Merlin, quickly realising what he had done. He was about to speak, but Merlin beat him to it.

"I think I better leave." He said, quickly turning round and running back up the steps.

As Merlin left, regret and devastation flooded Arthur's mind.

Merlin dropped the touch on the ground as he ran towards the stairs. He climbed up them rapidly as tears started to spring free. He ran down the corridor, trying to be quite as all he wanted to do was fall to the floor and cry himself into a deep slumber of a thousand years. He jumped into the shadows, but still knowing that he was not safe. He was able to get down and out of the castle without being caught, but he had to make sure he wasn't seen as he ran through Camelot. He saw some guards coming his way. He jumped left and decided to go the long way through Camelot, down the alleyways and in-between people's houses. He stuck to the shadows as he found his feet not taking him back to the hid-out that he and Da Kids had been staying in the last couple of days and nights. It seemed his feet were taking him towards the gate, out of Camelot. He quickly found himself coming up to the gate. He walked through the arch as the gate like an unseen ghost and carried on walking through the wood.

As soon as he was in the wood and out of Camelot, he started to run. He ran as fast as he could, faster than he had ever before. He ran with his hood up and the back of his cape tailing behind him as he ran. He looked like a ghost boy running through the woods. He didn't stop. He wouldn't stop for anyone anyway. Tears flew off his face as he ran. He jumped over a giant tree that had fallen down, but he didn't jump high enough and fell forwards down the hill that was on the other side of the fallen down tree. He rolled down the hill headfirst. He hit the ground at the bottom and didn't think twice about getting up and running. He didn't care about the cut on his leg or the one near his eye. He just carried on running.

He soon came to a lake. He skidded to his knees right in front of the water. He cuddled his knees to his chest and cried. He screwed his eyes shut tight. He forgot about the world around him as he had hit the bottom at long last. After all the time of falling down in space, he finally hit the floor and harsh.

Then, there was the sound of paws on the ground. Pebbles crunching together. The water reflected the moon and Merlin's face. What also come into the reflection of the water was Steallick. Merlin looked up and his eyes met the wolfs.

"You're not really here." Merlin said cruelly as if the words were meant to have hit something. Merlin thought he could trust him, but he was wrong. Steallick looked down in shame but then back up, eyes hard.

"Yes I am." Merlin spun round to see the wolfs face almost touching his. Merlin could feel the wolf breathing, his breath smelling like his last meal. The wolfs eyes were locked with Merlin's. Merlin had a bone to pick with the betraying wolf, but it seemed that he had a bone to pick as well. Merlin spun back around and clutched his legs to his chest. He stared into the water as if he was waiting for the reflection to come alive. Steallick knew that Merlin didn't want to talk to him, but he had to redeem himself. He walked up to the side of Merlin and looked in the water along with him.

"Tell the devil I said hi when you get back from where you're from." Merlin said not taking his eyes off his own reflection.

"There is no point me saying sorry to you as it shall do no good what-so-ever. You have all the right to beat me black and blue until I am numb, but all I ask you to do, is hear me out just this once as I am a dead wolf, even as I speak." Merlin's gaze on his reflection grew hard. He had trust the wolf once and he learnt his lesson. Why should he give him a second chance? He didn't deserve it. He deserved everything he had coming to him. Dying in hell, rotting until the end of time, screaming 'til his lungs burst, starving to his weak deserved death, bleeding 'till all the blood was gone from his body. He should take an arrow to the head, jump in front of a million running horses and be hung by Uther's commands. However, Merlin couldn't find it in his heart to be selfish enough to let that happen to the wolf. Everyone deserves a second chance, no matter what they've done.

"I'm listening." Merlin breathed, not taking his eyes of his reflection. It was as if he was looking for something in himself. Steallick was taken back as he didn't not expect the boy to give him a chance, but he was grateful ever way. He breathed in and then started.

"I do not know how to say this, but there is very little I can do to help you. I am forced to serve the sorcerer that has control of Camelot for the rest of my life. I am a special type of wolf and he is my master. I cannot go agents him." Merlin went to open his mouth, but Steallick wasn't finished. "However, that does not mean someone else can't. Someone like you."

"Me? Please, sparer me the drama. I'm pathetic! I'm clumsy, dumb, and idiotic; there are too many words to describe how stupid I am. I'm dirt in the _ground. _Don't you get it? I'm a servant, I'm a child, I'm an_ idiot. _I'm doomed to do nothing right!" He hit his own reflection with his small fist. He was so fed up of being told he was something he was not. People were meant to believe in him when all he could do was get himself into trouble. Steallick looked at the small boy up and down. He saw a small boy with a broken heart and crushed dreams. However, that wasn't all he saw. He saw something that gave the wolf hope, and that was something he hadn't seen or had in a very long time.

"Really now? You're all that?" Merlin nodded. "Well, that's not what I see." Merlin looked up and the wolf for the first time since he looked down. "I see a an adult. A mighty adult that was cursed into a child's body, but that was the undoing of the man that did so. As the boy was more than any other boy. He was brave and cheeky. He did deals with all kinds of people, not just good and bad. I see a boy that got his friends together and when on a quest to find a monster that doesn't even walk the earth, but he found it and beat it at its own game. A boy that walked with a talking wolf. A boy that used amazing power in sorcery to save a King that hated it. A boy that took down guards almost three times his own size to see him friends. I see a boy that would give a wolf a second chance, even though he should rot in hell. I see someone that can be a hero." Steallick finished. Merlin looked back at his reflection and he saw it. What he had been looking for. He had found himself.

"A hero." He turned back to Steallick.

The wolf only spoke five words and his name, but that was all it took to make a spark and for Merlin to realise what he had to do. Not for himself, not for his friends or Steallick, but for Camelot and its future.

"Merlin." Merlin's eyes fixed on Steallick's forever as he spoke those five words.

"It's time to step up."

* * *

**Well, the next chapter's going to be a long one, I can tell you that now!**

**Please review.**


	14. Magic

**Hello all. Sorry it took so long to update. Been very busy and had a bit of writers block, but that all okay now.**

**Enjoy, I worked my socks off to get this up and posted.**

* * *

Merlin walked through the town. He walked boldly and fast. He left the lake and walked straight towards Camelot. He stopped off at the hid out and told the others the plan. It was all about timing. Merlin's face was still wet from tears, but he did not care. He strode towards the castle, not caring about the guards charging towards him. He still walked; he walked as if they were not there. Before they reached him, Emma, Jam and Jack come jumping off the roof of a house and landed on top of them. They fell to the floor out cold and the three children covered their mouths with a cloth that had a sleeping draft on it. Merlin nodded his thanks at them as he stepped over the guards body's on the floor. He jogged though into the cough yard. He looked around. The castle seemed like the centre of all doom and destruction, like there was no hope. Thunder clapped in the distance and Merlin counted how many seconds until lightening showed. He did not have to wait long as lightening flashed in the sky like hope after five seconds. Five seconds means it was five miles away. Merlin smiled as his plan was going better than perfect. He looked up as he walked to the centre of the cough yard. Zoe was on the roof playing with the flagpole. She was making it higher. He walked towards the stairs as Ben came running down towards him and he handed Merlin a key. The key was to the ceils at the bottom of the castle where the others were. Merlin gave a little chuckle as he walked up the stairs and into the castle. This would wipe a smile or two off Arthur's face.

He stormed through the castle heading towards the ceils. He had to go the long way, not because of the hundreds of guards, but because it was part of his plan. He had to go the long way. It had nothing to do with the guards. Nothing to do with it.

Merlin looked round the corner and was glad that there were no guards there. Just then, he heard thunder again and stopped dead in his tracks. He listened and waited as he counted the seconds. Only four this time, the storm was getting closer and closer and Merlin knew that by how loud the thunder was getting. He forgot about walking and started running. The storm was only four miles away, meaning he did not have that much time. He ran down the stairs towards the ceils. When he got down there, the guards were already on the floor asleep. Merlin looked around and all the bodies on the floor then at his friends that had taken them down.

Tim, Clara and Nick had just as he had asked. Next to the three kids legs was a giant bag... well, it was giant because of how small he was. It was all brown with sharp things coming out of it. Those 'sharp things' were swords. He nodded at them to pick it up and they ran down the steps towards the ceil. Merlin quickly opened the door and the others got the swords out. Merlin fell to his knees as he shook Arthur rapidly. The prat mumbled something under his breath then went back to sleep. _Prat!_ Thought Merlin as he got up and walk over to Gaius. He did the same with the other man, but nothing. He did the same with Morgana, Gwen Uther and Arthur again.

This was not part of the plan.

Merlin cursed under his panting breath as he thought for a moment. He picked up what was left of their food and sniffed it. It was made with a sleeping draft. Merlin cursed again and he threw the bread on the cold, stone floor of the ceil so the rats could eat it later. They wouldn't be out of much longer, but he needed them not and they were asleep! Stupid adults! Can't do anything right. Merlin sighed, as Mycroft was a lot smarter than he had thought he was. He knew that Mycroft hadn't known that he was coming. However, Mycroft wasn't going to take any chances so put his friends to sleep anyway. Merlin knew what he had to do. He stood up and turned to the others.

"Keep trying to wake them up. When they are awake, carry on with the plan." He told them sternly. He walked past them and out of the ceil. He got to the second step before Clara asked:

"What are you going to do?" Merlin turned to face her. His friends knew him too well for their own good. They knew he was going to do something he shouldn't, but he didn't care. Time was running out. Thunder clapped again in the grey sky up above the tall, proud castle. Merlin listened. Three seconds meant three miles. Time was short and he needed to do something quickly. He sighed and faced his friends.

"Plan B. Wish me luck," and with that, he left. He ran before they could say anything about it. He didn't want them making a fuss about it. He needed them to trust him and leaving them wondering was how he did it.

Merlin climbed the stairs as he always did and ran towards the hall where he knew that Mycroft and his little scared friend would be. He ran faster and faster as time was running out quicker and quicker. Thunder clapped loudly in the sky above as Merlin's feet hit the stone floor with just as much force as the speed his was running at. Arthur always said that he couldn't do anything right, but what he could do right was run. He had always been a fast runner and it was finally paying off. He sped down the corridor like there was no tomorrow, which for him, there might not be a tomorrow. He turned the corner skidding to the floor so he could touch it. However, in a second he was up on his feet running. He quickly got to the doors of the hall. He took his cape off and threw it to the floor then pushed the doors open.

The doors closed behind him and Steallick walked in front of them, blocking Merlin's only exit. Merlin looked at the wolf long and hard before he turned towards the thrown. Merlin's eyes widened in fear as there sat on the thrown was Mycroft, but on the thrown next to him was Morlace, sharpening his axe, as if it wasn't sharp enough already. Morlace looked a lot stronger than had last time they met, which wasn't long ago. That man seriously worked out and a lot more than Arthur did. Mycroft didn't have to say anything; he just turned to Morlace and nodded. The man smiled wickedly, got up and walked towards him. Morlace was almost three times the size of Merlin. Merlin gulped as he wasn't so sure about him plan now. Steallick looked down unable to look encase something went wrong. Morlace stood right in front of Merlin and raised his axe high above his head, ready to bring it crashing down onto Merlin's skull, crushing that and going through his brain and down through all of his body, until little Merlin was in two pieces.

He brought the axe down. Merlin jumped out of the way and did a shoulder role to the side. He smiled in his head as Arthur would have been proud of that perfect shoulder role. Morlace's axe was now stuck in the floor. Merlin got up and jumped on the man's back as he twirled around trying to get him off his back. Merlin held on tightly and the bit Morlace's neck. The man cried out in pain. Mycroft stuck his tongue out and made a childish face of disgust. Morlace then fell to the floor with Merlin on his back. Merlin got off his back and stood up. He must have done something because the man was out cold. He shrugged it off as he turned to the sorcerer, how seemed to be clapping.

"Well done. However, you now have me to deal with and I know for fact that you couldn't deal with me." He said slowly walking forward. He was in the middle of the hall now and Merlin was near the doors. Merlin saw the sorcerer's eyes flash gold, but didn't know what he had done.

He suddenly felt funny. The room seamed to get bigger and so did his clothes. Energy flooded his body as his bones tingled and blood sped up. His hair got longer and covered his eyes. He blew upwards to push it away off his face. He looked at his hands only to see that they were smaller. He gasped as he realised that he was not six anymore, but four! Nearly half the age he was before. He was one hundred percent defenceless as his magic was even worse when he was younger. Therefore, he believed, he could overly remember what he did when he was four. He really only remembered stuff from the age five and up.

Just then, guards came running into the room. They circled around the whole room. They weren't just any normal guards... they were Mycroft's guards. Merlin gulped in fear as this was not in the plan; the plan had just been thrown out the window. Merlin looked around the room wildly for Steallick, but the wolf was nowhere to be seen.

Mycroft laughed. His laugh pierced through Merlin's brain, making him shiver.

"Ha! What's the little raven-haired boy gonna do now? Yah?" He was mocking him, but Merlin was too filled with fear to care. "No one to save you or help. No one here to save the pathetic little boy that knows nothing. You can't do anything right can you? You can't save yourself, let alone Camelot!" He threw his head back and laughed some more. Thunder clapped as Merlin counted one second. They were all doomed this time. He thought he could do it, but couldn't. He was unable to do a thing.

Just then, Steallick came out of nowhere and lunged for Mycroft. However, Morlace was up and ready for a kill. He lunged on top of Steallick and brought the wolf crashing down about a meter away from where Merlin stood. He held the wolf by its snout and forced it to the ground. Steallick clawed Morlace and floor, but it was no good as man was stronger than mighty beast. Merlin step backwards and fell on his butt. Mycroft didn't look happy.

"You stupid wolf! Can't you do anything right either? Time to get rid of you." He said eyes glowing a red and gold colour. Steallick started howling in pain, the howl getting louder and louder.

"Merlin!" He cried. "Listen to me! They can't hear me, only you. Why? Because you have magic. So does Mycroft, but yours is stronger, much stronger. More powerful than anything. I know you haven't been able to do magic lately, but trust me when I say you can do it! Please try! I know what you think of yourself right now and you're wrong. If I can step up and fight Mycroft then so can you!" He turned and growled as Mycroft's spell grew stronger.

_Trust the moon..._

Trust the moon, trust the wolf, trust his words. That's what the creature meant. Not about walking with him or giving him a second chance, but trust his words. Rage boiled in Merlin's blood as his friend was being hurt and anyone that hurt his friend was no friend of his. He stood up and breathed in. Mycroft looked at him, but was too late. Merlin raised his hand and his eye flashed bright gold.

Time seamed to stop as everything happened at once. Merlin's blood sped up to the speed up light for just that second. Yes, he should be dead, but he wasn't and wasn't going to be. His hair short back across his face as if a gust of wind had gone into his face. All his energy ran threw him and his hand, hitting Mycroft had in the chest. The man flew backwards as did his guards and Morlace. As Mycroft hit the floor, he opened his eyes and looked up. There was a chandelier. It came crashing down on him. Mycroft got up and flung his arms around as he was stuck in it.

Thunder clapped and the last part of Merlin's plan, was the only part to work. Lightening hit the top of the flagpole and ran down it all the way towards the chandelier. Mycroft was burnt alive by the lightening.

Just then, the door swung open and Arthur and the other's came running in with the knights of Camelot. Merlin looked over to Steallick to find that he had disappeared.

It was all like magic.

* * *

**Next chapter should be the last one.**

**Please review! I want to see if I can get a hundred reviews!**


	15. Little monster, big monser

Sorry for the long wait!

**Here is (sadly) the last chapter **

**Enjoy and please review.**

* * *

The court was completely quiet as the giant wooden doors were pulled open by the guards. Merlin stood tall next to Gaius as the old man he been complaining that his posture was not god enough. Merlin thought that this was completely ridicules as his back was always straight... when he was running... Then again as he thought about it, his back was not straight at all. He would not say that it was as bad as the creatures, but bad. The doors were pulled open and two knights dragged Morlace towards King Uther's feet. You could tell that Uther was very happy to be back on the thrown as he had barely moved from it in the last couple of hours. Not that anyone else knew this. Merlin only knew because he got bored and accidently ended up spying on him. It was not his fault. Morlace was dragged closer and closer. The man was not bothering to move, so his feet were behind him, dragging on the floor like most of his body. Morgana and Arthur were on either side of Uther and Gwen was behind Morgana. Merlin was with Gaius at the side. Merlin leaned forward so he could see the incredible ugly man. Gaius just moved his eyes a little so he could see Merlin. He noticed him leaning forward so he put a hand on the boys head and lightly pushed him back up straight. Merlin went back easily as he did not fight back. The knights dropped Morlace to his feet, the chains clattering on the stone ground of the castle's hall floor. Merlin almost jumped at the sound they made. Only Merlin saw the quick, little wince of pain on the man's face as he was dropped to his knees.

Sorrow surprisingly, suddenly filled Merlin's mind as he found himself clinging onto Gaius robe extremely tightly.

"Do you, Morlace, deny that you helped a sorcerer to take power over all of Camelot?" Merlin wondered why Uther was bothering as everyone knew that he did. Uther's dagger like eyes dug into Morlace. Merlin could not understand how the man could cope with Uther's and everyone else's eyes digging into him. How he could not break down like a little boy was beyond the six-year-old.

"No I do not," he clearly said looking up to meet his eyes with Uther's. The man returned Uther's discussed look with self-pride. Uther looked as if he was about to shout of him to be killed on sight, but Arthur asked a question that he had never asked a man before.

"What did he offer you?" Uther turned to his son, a look of shock on his face.

"First, money. Then when I wanted no more, he offered me a better price." He turned towards Merlin. "The boys head," he snarled trying to lunge forward towards Merlin, but going nowhere as the knights had a tight grip on the chains that were all over his body. Merlin flinched backwards, hiding behind Gaius. He was slightly scared of Morlace and he could not explain why.

"I've had enough of this. Put him in the ceils to be executed tomorrow morning." Uther waved his hand towards the knights to take Morlace away. The knights got half was down the hall before Merlin plucked up the courage to step out of the crowd and say:

"Wait!" Both knights stopped walking and turned Morlace around.

"Yes, brat." He spat 'brat' out like a rotten vegetable. Merlin became scared again, but stayed strong.

"You worked Mycroft closely. You must know a way to turned me back to an adult." Merlin said half pleading. Morlace snorted in great laughter.

"I have no idea. You're as good as stuck like that!" He started roaring with laughter as he was dragged out of the hall. Merlin looked down at the floor unable to meet any adult's eyes. Before Arthur could put his hand on Merlin's shoulder he started to speed walk out of the hall. Arthur called after him, but his voice was not heard by Merlin.

* * *

Merlin was sat on the windowsill in Arthur's bedroom. It was the last place they'd look and he knew that for a fact. Merlin looked out on Camelot as the sun shined down on it. He saw the axe man sharpening his axe for Morlace tomorrow. Normally right around now Merlin would be crying. However, he was fed up of crying. He was fed up of being looked over because he was a child again, because he was an idiot, because of a number of things.

He was just fed up.

He sighed as he remembered that this afternoon he was going to be thanked by the king for his bravery and so on. He knew it was something special, but even though Arthur really tried to make it sound fun, it just sounded boring. He wanted his friends to be there but they were grounded for leaving Camelot in search of the creature and then saving Camelot. They were only doing good; Merlin couldn't understand why they were mad. The world seemed so different now that he was younger, this and he had no idea of a way to turn himself back. He knew that there was a way. He was not going to give up that quickly.

He looked at what he could see of Camelot and watched the people pass by. He saw little children run around shouting and screaming in joy. It was amazing how things could go back to normal so easily for children. He saw men and women walk by trying to sell things to make a living. He knew nearly everyone by name and face.

Merlin slightly wondered what it would be like to be someone else.

He sometimes wished that someone else could have the responsibility that he had to carry around with him. Saving Arthur and protecting Camelot, making sure that Uther was not murdered. It was tuff being him. However, he lived with it. Day by day, he got by and did what he did. Even if he was never thanked, he knew deep down that it would be worth it one day. He never thought about making things easier and killing Uther, never. He knew things needed to be a psychic way and he understood that. Even though he felt like everything was mapped out for him, he knew at the end of the day that it was his decision about what happens and what does not.

He was who he was and he was just a... well a cheeky, trouble-making little monster really.

He was who he was.

Just then, Merlin felt funny. He felt his bones tingle and crunch. His blood swirls, bubble, boil and speed up. He felt his magic serge throughout his body and tickle his bones. He heard his bones crunch tightly together and felt them clunk. He looked at the floor to find it getting more and more away from him. His clothes started to get bigger too. Confusion ran through Merlin's head.

Before he could do anything, the door opened to reveal Arthur.

"Merlin, are you-" He stopped in mid sentence as he his mouth dropped open. Merlin gave him a 'what?' look. Arthur walked over to him and took hold of Merlin's shoulders. Since when was Arthur his height? Arthur took Merlin over to the mirror and his mouth dropped open.

He was an adult again.

"Well this is unexpected." That was all Merlin could say as a giant, goofy smile spread across his face.

* * *

The doors to the hall opened wide with pride as Merlin walked through them. It was the first time he had ever been thanked by the King in public and he could not help but smile as he walked towards the King. He saw Gwen and Gaius smiling at him as he walked forward and he gave them a bigger smile as he walked pass them. Everyone knew very quickly that he was back to his normal self that is how gossip works in the castle. Merlin was surprised as even Uther was smiling. He got to where he was meant to stand. He disliked Arthur just a bit as he had forced him to wear that stupid servant clothing with the Camelot flag symbol on it. However, everyone found it amusing so he did not complain.

Uther stood up from his thrown and walked towards Merlin.

"Merlin, on behalf myself and my son, I can speak for Camelot as I thank you deeply for what you have done for the city. I grant you the power of one wish from the royal family if in our power for whenever you like it to be called upon."

"Thank you sire," he said bowing. The whole hall started to clap. Merlin half turned round to watch them clap for him. His grin grew wider as the clapping grew louder. His hard work was finally being rewarded. This and he was an adult. As the court clapped for him he realised what it was that made him an adult again. Acceptance. That was it was. He had always tried to be something he was not. Trying to make people see him, trying to be the world. However, he accepted that he was none of that. He was himself. He was Merlin.

The clapping died down and Merlin then knew what he wanted his wish to be.

"Sire, I wish you meet the one friend who helped me save Camelot, and what I wish is that you do not kill him." Merlin said with pride. Arthur, however, raised an eyebrow.

"I don't like where this is going." He clearly said still being lazy and sitting on his thrown. Uther ignored his son and nodded at Merlin. A smile danced on Merlin's face. He turned round and whistled so loud, people thought he had burst their eardrums.

There was then a silence as the doors opened wide. Arthur, Gaius, Gwen, Uther and Morgana all expected Da Kids to walk through, but they did not. Mouths dropped as what walked through the doors was a giant wolf.

The wolf walked straight towards Merlin, straight down the middle of the hall. All eyes were on the wolf as he walked forward. It stopped next to Merlin.

"Sire, this is Steallick." Merlin said with a goofy grin wide on his face. He looked at everyone's face. Everyone had his or her mouths open in shock and Arthur was trying not to draw his sword to kill Steallick. Merlin turned to Steallick, who spoke to him.

"Do not worry. Only you and your magic can hear me." He smiled, finally glade that he was free. "You broke the curse. I am glade. From little monster, to big monster." He said.

Merlin smiled as his newfound friend stood next to him.

They both looked at the King and smiled.

* * *

**Hope you all enjoyed this. I worked hard to get this chapter done.**

**Thank you all for reading and reviewing.**

**Hope to see you reading my other stories in the future!**

**P.S Please review and help me get this story a hundred reviews!**


End file.
